Latest update April 12th, 2026 12:50 AM
Duo team up to offer “Essential Home Care”
In keeping with research that suggests that people live longer, healthier lives in familiar surroundings, the Essential Care Agency was conceptualised and eventually brought into being during the latter part of last year.
With two young women, Elwyn Boyle and Anastacia Loncke, at its helm, the Agency situated at 87 Barrack Street, Kingston, Georgetown, is arguably the lone outfit of its kind in these parts, offering short-term to full-time service ranging from nursing and domestic to companionship and live-in.
Elwyn Boyle (at extreme left) in the company of some staff members of the Agency.
And the clients, according to Boyle, are rather diverse including the elderly, persons with various ailments who require home care, and even persons with disabilities.
There are plans in train to soon incorporate a baby-sitting aspect as well, she disclosed during a press briefing at the Agency’s office on Friday.
With a mission to “provide quality care at home” the Essential Care Agency was first introduced in October 2013 since there was an evident need for such a facility, Boyle noted. In fact the need was first observed at a personal level as both Boyle and Loncke had grandparents who required home care.
The two with a start-up capital of about $2.5 million were able to put measures in place to introduce the Agency
Boyle, who currently resides in the United Kingdom, recalled it being a difficult task to find someone to care for her 93-year-old grandmother who had limited mobility. According to her there was need to find someone to do just about everything for the elderly woman.
Loncke’s grandfather on the other hand, a diabetic, had suffered a debilitating injury and required round-the-clock assistance too, even someone to care for his wound.
In recognition of the fact that they were not the only ones faced with such needs, the two decided to establish the Agency.
The field of caregiving is certainly not an area the two are unfamiliar with, as they both have extensive backgrounds in this regard. Boyle for instances had for a number of years been gainfully involved in this regard in the UK, and according to her, the experience of caring for elderly and disabled persons was rather rewarding.
She noted that although in Guyana the need may not be as great as what obtains in foreign countries – since many families here take care of their elderly, sick or disabled themselves – the need does exists in some communities.
“Sometimes persons may be busy and not able to be involved in the care of their family members with that need for care…so the Care Agency comes in to fill that need,” Boyle said.
A nurse, in inviting mode, stands at the entrance of the Agency.
The Agency, which attracted its first client around mid-January, currently caters to the specific needs of six clients. And, according to Boyle, clients are certainly not centred in the capital city alone. The services offered have been requested from Essequibo to Berbice and there have also been calls for the Agency to establish offices in these out-of-town areas.
According to Boyle, the Agency has on staff qualified nurses and nurse aids to deal with various health concerns including wound care, and there is also the capability to offer specialist care for persons with HIV, diabetes and dementia. Also, the Agency has persons on board employed to specially perform domestic chores and other needs that clients may have.
“When people are cared for in their home they are known to live longer lives as opposed to a nursing home,” explained Boyle, who added that “when a carer comes into your home they respect that as your home, and what we try to do is match clients with carers.”
And the cost for the care offered is not a matter of major concern, since in order to meet the needs of all clients, Boyle said that every effort is made to meet the budget of clients.
“We will try to work with whatever is the financial condition of our respective clients; even if we are providing the minimum service…We don’t want to exclude anybody because they don’t have a lot of money…If a client has a budget we will work with it,” Boyle added.
And it is expected that the Agency’s care offerings will continue to evolve to include other services in the near future.
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