Livin' on Easy Street
Livin' on Easy Street
Local care providers offer 'home setting' for adults in need
MOSES LAKE — Even though Floyd Koenig's business has been in operation for about eight years, he says there are still a number of people who don't even know it exists.
Koenig and his wife Carol have lived in Moses Lake for about 15 years, and about eight years ago, decided what they wanted to do with the space in their house.
"We had this big house, and we were looking for something that would make it useful," Floyd said. Carol, a dental hygienist, worked with someone who owned a home care facility in Wenatchee. The Koenigs spent several hours looking around that operation, and decided to look into one of their own, obtaining licensing to help people with mental health, dementia and early to mid-level Alzheimers.
Floyd had been a medic in the military, so he had medical training.
"It just seemed like something that would fit what we were planning on doing," he said of opening the Easy Street Care Home.
The care home can house six people in private rooms. There are presently two spaces available. The rooms are located in the lower level of the Koenig home. Koenig estimated about 15 people have been served throughout the eight years, until they either moved out of the area or required more care than the home can offer.
Floyd said he looks for residents that are able to walk at night and use the restroom. The operation has one employee during the day, he noted, although each room has a bell into his room at night.
"When I interview them, I do have a pretty good feel if they will fit the community we have here now," he said. "It's important to keep the people we have down there happy with each other."
During the first year, Floyd said, it felt a little odd to always be sharing his home with people.
"After you have people in your home for a while, they become like family," he said.
Looking at the demographics of the area, Floyd said, there's more and more need for services like his operation every day.
"I go for the lighter care; that's the reason why I'm not completely full," he said. "Those who take bedridden (residents) fill up pretty quickly, but I like to keep people ambulatory so we can go out and do things in the summer."
The care home offers transportation to doctor's appointments and takes residents on such outings as shopping, trips to the park, bowling, boating and walks, if the resident wants to participate.
Institutions have their own benefits, Floyd added, but some people might prefer staying at a home.
"The main theme of what an adult family home is you're in a home setting," Floyd said, adding with a chuckle, "It's just like living in your own home, only it's not. It's somebody else's home, but you're not in an institution."
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