Laverne Dorsey’s Story

My name is LaVerne and I want the best for our mothers. My KIVA project starts with my mother . Everything in this project is in dedication to her and the positive, inspirational, encouraging, and loving relationship we shared on the earthly plane for 64 years. My mother is still with me and the love that we shared could never die.

The mission and purpose of my project, Josephine’s Charming Oasis, named in honor of my other mom – my husband’s mother, Josephine is to provide safe, inspirational, well-appointed and encouraging environment primarily for all of our seniors.

During the last years of our lives together, it was became painfully necessary for my mother to reside in assisted living facilities. During this time I became aware of the woeful lack of excellent wellness-based facilities in our communities.

In the process of finding the best residence for “us” - because although I didn’t live there, I spent countless hours there with her – I visited many assisted living residences and gained an excellent picture of what existed in our local market. And I was dismayed. Most of these facilities, even with the most caring and professional staff, were mostly warehouses – gilded cages for the elderly. They are maintenance places where our precious seniors are managed, rather than encouraged and supported in the most expansive expression of their lives. Moreover, the dietary regimen for most of the residents was dismal. These diets are required to meet the minimal dietary requirements. Clinical studies indicate that remaining at the minimal end of nutrition recommendations contributes to nutritional deficiencies, which undermine immunity and lays a perfect foundation for dis-ease. Through experience caring for elders I completely understand and empathize that assisted living facility administrators are doing the best they can with what they have to work with. Although it was a heart-wrenching period in my life, In certain ways, I was fortunate that when my mother entered the assisted living facility, she was in hospice care, so the impact on her was minimal compared to the most active residents. I am in no way disparaging the heroic work of our assisted living facilities. Their dependence on the sick-care model necessitates the business decisions that they must make to continue to provide residence for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.

This loan is special because:

It supports this passionate entrepreneur to expand their business.

More about this loan

Business Description

Josephine’s Charming Oasis is a permaculture wellness home for seniors, based on the Edencare® Model that values seniors, their contributions, and their lives. In the state of Florida, this business is formally designated an assisted living facility or adult family care home. Permaculture means redeveloping a relationship with the earth, the biosphere, and the connections that bring us closer to lives of tranquility, longevity, and quality. We value a high-quality physical, mental ,and emotional environment and a culture of wellness and radiant purpose.

We emphasize top quality nutrition, often garden- or farm-to-table. We focus on activities and events that allow each resident to be comfortable to explore aspects of themselves they may not have had time, space, or support to explore previously in their lives. Residence at Josephine’s Charming Oasis is an opportunity growth, no matter what phase of life we are in. These opportunities include creativity, entrepreneurship, research, technology and more. We consistently convey the value of each resident of our facility and provide them a comfortable place to bloom.

The KIVA loan would be used to implement and develop the permaculture nature of the residence and to develop programs to engage the local community, especially schools, social welfare, and faith-based organizations. It would also be used to purchase the necessary tools and equipment to establish the permaculture wellness garden, to acquire basic technology infrastructure: a computer, printer, some office supplies and to engage a microbusiness in beginning to develop the marketing strategy.

What is the purpose of this loan?

This loan will be used to develop the permaculture garden for Josephine's Charming Oasis Wellness Permaculture Garden and Residence. It is primarily for the conceptualization, design, implementation and the acquisition of equipment and tools necessary to establish the garden. It would also be used to provide marketing in the local community and the encouragement of multi-generational involvement in the permaculture infrastructure. We will also improve our technology infrastructure, specifically laptop computer and multifunction printer.

 
About K'IRISI GROUP

Industry: Services
Years in operation: 1 year - 3 years