About

As I reflect on a lifetime of insights, philosophies, and passions of my service, many significant people come to mind; my oldest brother and lifetime friend who has lived with multiple cognitive barriers, my mother who struggles with cognitive decline and my gentle grandfather who taught me that patients were people long before their illness was present.   They have inspired me through their journeys and continue to in my day to day interactions. In my nearly three decades of work in a rehabilitation hospital I learned from a diverse group of individuals from all walks of life. I worked with a highly trained and diverse care team who united their talents to assist and support people with complex illnesses. The goal was always to return people to the community at the highest level of independence possible. During my career I have had the opportunity to support persons living with cancer, acquired brain injury, stroke, developmental delays, dementia and a variety of neurodegenerative illnesses. Many of the people I supported over the years also dealt with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, grief and loss, age-related physical decline and other health complexities.  I have observed the roles of their support people and the professional relationships that they depended on. I have seen at times, how the power struggles, role reversals, anger and helplessness on both sides have affected these relationships. More often however, I have observed how trusted supporters could offer wonderful care and compassion, enriching people’s lives. When I first heard about Driving Miss Daisy I was struck by how closely it aligned with my own values and personal philosophy of care. As a medical equipment specialist for the past ten years here in the Okanagan, I offer preventative home-based solutions to maintain independence and reduce risk. My wife Maribeth and I are delighted to have the opportunity to join the Driving Miss Daisy family, which is a respected national organization.   Our Okanagan Driving Miss Daisy team is available to assist you or a loved one with individualized support, compassion and validation. We hope to promote wellness and to reduce burden for all. We believe that while people may be masked by pain and illness, they deserve to be valued by and included in society. Our goal at Driving Miss Daisy is to model dignity and understanding to our clients and to the community as a whole. We offer ‘next step’ services that help engage in community life, that complement existing services, and that foster positive shared experiences. All Driving Miss Daisy vehicles can accommodate wheelchairs and walkers when the client is able to self transfer. We also have a have fully accessible wheelchair van. Please contact me for more information.