Vt. home health care business boosts support, breaks cultural barriers

COLCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) – A more personal approach to home health care is creating change in Chittenden County. Starting a business is hard enough, and locals say starting a business in Vermont as a person of color is even harder. However, one Colchester couple is on a mission to defy the odds.

When Wendy Freundlich’s mother, Joyce, developed dementia, she struggled to find a caretaker up to the task.

“The caregivers I found were not able to deal with her behavioral stuff,” Freundlich said.

Then, Freundlich heard about Loving Home Care, a Colchester home health care business. Their caregivers moved in with Joyce, helping with basic needs and taking time to get to know her.

“When she was all there, she said all she wanted was to watch movies and eat ice cream. So, the caregivers were able to do that. These caregivers connected with my mother in a loving way,” Freundlich said.

Loving Home Care is based on ubuntu, an African philosophy emphasizing togetherness and community. Abijah and Blandine Manga started the business in 2016 after noticing a gap in quality care.

“They care more about their personal care, but not the emotional part,” Abijah said.

Despite the couple’s passion, Vermont didn’t seem ready for them at first. Manga, who’s from the Congo, says he experienced racial bias when trying to get a business loan or talking to potential clients. “When we answer the phone, the first judgment is about the accent. If they can’t even speak good English, would they be able to take care of my parents,” he said.

Looking for support, the couple joined groups like the Vermont Professionals of Color Network. They got them up and running with advice and advertising. Today, Loving Home Care provides non-medical care to 15 clients across homes and assisted living facilities. They also partner with the Association of Africans Living in Vermont to give immigrants jobs.

Manga says they still face discrimination — even among clients — but his team always leads with compassion. “I’m bringing that touch of really this is somebody I care about,” he said.

Freundlich finds peace knowing her mother was so well cared for right up to her passing in 2023. “It made my life so much better that I knew she was as happy as I could have her given the situation,” she said.

Loving Home Care plans to open a fully assisted living facility in Colchester in the next few years.

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