“Helping people who need help. It does not get any better than that.”
Jernegan, who spent most of her career as an entrepreneur involved in the hospitality industry in the Phoenix and Prescott regions, is responsible for overseeing 10 employees and up to 100 caregivers throughout Northern Arizona.
“I heard from a friend about the Visiting Angels of Northern Arizona franchise opportunity. Visiting Angels, the brand, has over 600 franchises around the country. They are nationally known and locally owned. I liked that idea. I found out it was a franchise and was sold on this concept,” she said. “With over a decade of experience working with franchises and a profound understanding of the intricacies of the industry, my expertise is precisely what this opportunity demanded.”
After owning the franchise for the past four years, she says the home care industry has become her ultimate passion. “Helping people who need help. It does not get any better than that.”
Jernegan’s involvement in the Quad Cities is extensive. She has served on many boards, supporting organizations such as the Prescott Frontier Rotary Club and Prescott Farmers Market. She also co-founded the Senior Referral Network and has taught at Yavapai College using her book, “Working out of a Home Office Successfully.”
Today, her main focus is on Visiting Angels, which provides services such as companion care, personal hygiene care, meal preparation, medical reminders, light housekeeping, transportation, respite care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and 24-hour care for those who need around-the-clock assistance.
The best part of being the director of Visiting Angels, she says, is that she can make decisions that are best for clients and caregivers at the local level while having major brand support.
The biggest challenges, she says, are workforce shortages, regulatory changes, technology integration, maintaining a high level of caregiver care and finding a way to distinguish Visiting Angels from other home care services. However, despite the challenges, Visiting Angels of Northern Arizona was named in the Top 100 home care companies in the nation last year.
“Visiting Angels plays a crucial role in the healthcare ecosystem by addressing the growing need for personalized and compassionate care for individuals who wish to age in place or require assistance with activities of daily living,” she said.
The guiding pillars of Visiting Angels include: promoting independence, enhancing quality of life, supporting family caregivers, preventing isolation, coming up with tailored care solutions, and providing professional and compassionate care.
“I have never seen so many good people doing great things,” said Jernegan of the community. In fact, every other month, she honors an unsung hero through the Senior Referral Network. “I am amazed how many good people there are in the greater Prescott region. It really does take a village.”
Previously, Jernegan worked for a large private hotel company. Her region was from Portland to Dallas. “I drove back and forth to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport for almost 10 years helping franchise owners with their hotels make money. We built our home in Dewey, so it was easy to get to the airport. I was able to attend hotel owner conventions in Aruba, Paris, Cancun and Las Vegas. I traveled extensively from Calgary to Halifax, Canada, and across the U.S. I was in big metropolitan cities and small corn fields in Iowa helping hotel owners. It was a fabulous opportunity for me since my family was raised and my husband could stay home and take care of our inside plants, dogs and yard. After my 10 years with corporate, I helped a few hotels in Prescott with marketing and sales. Once the hotel industry gets into your blood, it is hard to get it out!”
Jernegan received a four-year scholarship to the University of Wyoming, where she earned a degree in recreation administration, which led her to the hotel industry.
Her advice for women going into business is: “Believe in yourself, find your passion, seek mentorship and support, embrace learning, be resilient, value relationships, balance work and life, be flexible and adaptive, celebrate success and pay it forward.”
Jernegan said social media and social connections go hand in hand. “They must work together. Businesses that effectively leverage social media and build strong social connections can gain a competitive advantage in their industry. By staying active and engaged on social media platforms, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors, establish themselves as industry leaders, and stay top-of-mind with their audience.” QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Jernegan can be reached at vanamarketing@visitingangels.com or 928-458-4729.
Courtesy Photo: Cecelia Jernegan oversees in-home support throughout Northern Arizona, including companion care, personal hygiene care, meal preparation, light housekeeping and transportation needs. “Helping people who need help. It does not get any better than that.”
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