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From left, Owner and CEO Jay Kiley stands with staff members Laurie Greene, Mariluz Gerena and Erica Gabrenas at Synergy HomeCare’s new office in Trumbull, Conn. April 14, 2022.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media
TRUMBULL — Even in the best of times, no one wants to move into a nursing home, said Erica Gabrenas. But it’s been an especially hard sell these past two years, with many such facilities and their patients left vulnerable in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During COVID, no one wanted to leave to home,” said Gabrenas, director of client care for Synergy HomeCare at 12 Cambridge Drive in Trumbull.
The business recently moved to Trumbull after 10 years in Fairfield. It provides non-medical home care — such as grocery shopping, light housekeeping, picking up prescriptions and other tasks — for those who need assistance but aren’t ready to move into a nursing home or other care facility.
“Everybody wants to stay in their own home for as long as they can,” said Jay Kiley, owner and CEO of Synergy of Trumbull.
Synergy is a franchise with five locations in Connecticut and more than 300 nationwide. The other Connecticut branches are in Stamford, East Haven, Danbury and Cheshire.
Kiley moved Synergy to Trumbull earlier this year after 10 years in Fairfield. It’s one of several businesses to recently relocate to Trumbull.
Another is Nephrology Associates, a longtime Bridgeport-medical practice that relocated to another spot on Cambridge Drive, around the corner from Synergy. Others include Lindquist Doors and Hardware, which recently moved from Stratford to Lindeman Drive in Trumbull, and Kyber Security, which moved from Fairfield to Trumbull.
“Trumbull has attracted a number of businesses from the region recently,” said Rina Bakalar, Trumbull’s economic and community development director. “We have had relocations from Stamford, Fairfield, Stratford and Bridgeport. I think the availability of reasonably priced space, proximity to the Merritt Parkway and Route 25, the town’s stable financial position and high quality of life are all factors.”
For Kiley, the move was essential as his Synergy franchise was growing out of the Fairfield space. Trumbull is also in the center of the 14 towns Synergy of Trumbull serves, which span from West Haven to Westport. It happens to be where Kiley lives, as well.
“It’s a very warm business environment,” Kiley said. “And there’s less traffic to deal with.”
He said that the location has about 80 caregivers working in the field to serve anywhere from 80 to 90 clients. Caregivers can provide care for anywhere from one hour to around the clock as live-in assistance.
Though the majority of care that Synergy provides is non-medical, the Trumbull business does employ a licensed practical nurse, Laurie Greene.
“Just knowing that there is a nurse on staff makes people feel better,” she said.
Kiley said prices vary based on what services people need and for how long, and probably the best option is to call the Synergy home office for an assessment. As far as the business’ future, he echoed Gabrenas’s thoughts that home-based care is in higher demand than ever.
“The last two years we have had tremendous growth and we don’t see an end in sight,” Kiley said.
For more information about Synergy HomeCare of Trumbull, call 203-923-8866. The business is also hiring new employees.