Justin Ouellette has been improving the lives of seniors and their caregivers throughout his nearly two-decade career. He is thrilled to have found his home as the Director of Community Outreach FirstLight Home Care. “I wanted to work for a community-minded and family-centered business,” explains Justin. “FirstLight Home Care has the local feel that I have been looking for.” Owners Sarah and Greg Lane will formally welcome Justin to FirstLight at a celebration recognizing their second consecutive “Best of South Sound” award for in-home care.
Born and raised in Missoula, Montana, Justin has been working in various nursing home settings since 2008. He began in the kitchen at one facility while completing his Certified Nursing Assistant training at Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington. After working as a CNA, Justin’s excellent customer service and positive attitude landed him a position in admissions. Over the years Justin has become the “Swiss army knife” of the care industry. He has worked with almost every department and understands all aspects of senior care from, the admissions process to providing the best quality care to residents.
Justin moved to Olympia in 2012 to become the referral manager at Evergreen Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Justin improved the clinical product as well as the community perception of the facility during his time there. He developed a reputation as a “fixer”. “I really liked the marketing side and was able to recruit good people to improve care at several facilities,” he shares.
During his time as the manager of market development for Puget Sound Healthcare, Justin became familiar with FirstLight Home Care. “I really didn’t know the breadth of what FirstLight Home Care could provide,” says Justin. Learning that FirstLight offered everything from medical appointment transportation to one-on-one care in homes and senior facilities was an eye-opener for Justin.
Photo credit: Greg Lane
Once he learned of a job opening at FirstLight he jumped at the opportunity to work with Sarah and Greg Lane. “Sarah and Greg both have strong ethics and deep roots in the community,” Justin explains. “I knew this was a company that I would be proud to represent.” Sarah and Greg appreciate the skills Justin brings to FirstLight. As a relationship builder, Justin is eager to use his excitement about FirstLight to reach out further into the community and share how FirstLight Home Care can fill so many gaps for family caregivers and busy young families.
FirstLight has a service for nearly everyone. Elder care and support for their families is just one aspect of FirstLight’s service. FirstLight can help those recovering from surgery or provide respite care services as well. Their Busy Family service provides non-medical relief for those families who simply need a little help with meal preparation or grocery shopping. Justin strives to be a “walking, talking resource guide for caregivers, seniors, area providers and local families.”
Justin knows a little about busy families himself. He and his wife Crystal have three daughters ages 5, 12 and 15. The Ouellette family is looking forward to outdoor activities this summer and plan to head back to Montana for a camping trip in Justin’s home state.
Justin enjoys visiting Montana but is happy to be living in Olympia. “I love the appeal of a small town that has the luxury of being 100 miles from Portland and 30 miles from Tacoma,” Justin shares. He enjoys living in the capitol city with its “good mix of people.” The values are similar to those in his hometown but as Justin jokes, “the weather is better.” Justin once went to high school on a day when the temperature was 75 degrees below zero. The temperate climate of the PNW suits him just fine.
Working at FirstLight Home Care is a perfect fit for Justin who no longer wants to enter an organization and re-invent it. “At FirstLight, the reputation and quality of care is already there,” shares Justin. Sarah Lane has engrained in the staff at FirstLight the importance of providing great care. Justin and Lane say that, “if we have great caregivers and provide great care, the people will come and we can serve the community.”
In addition to visiting with local providers and sharing the services available through FirstLight Home Care, Justin will attend many local events with the team. FirstLight will have a booth at Capital Lakefair’s 50+ in the Park and is also participating in a Chili Feed at Olympia Transitional Care to benefit local youth programs.
For more information visit FirstLight Home Care online. Justin Ouellette can be reached at 360-890-0188.
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