Ambercare holds Open House and Ribbon Cutting 061815

Article and Photos by Shirin McArthur

The Silver City office of Ambercare hosted an open house and ribbon cutting on Thursday afternoon, June 18. On hand for the ceremony were eight staff members from Ambercare's Albuquerque office, including one of the founders of the 20-year-old home health care and hospice organization.

With 12 offices around the state and over 2000 staff state-wide, Ambercare provides medical services to over 5000 patients around the state of New Mexico. The Silver City office opened in October 2014 and currently has eight employees.

The open house began with a blessing of the business, followed by the presentation of the colors and the national anthem, words of welcome by Ambercare officers, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Catherine Rosacker-Sharp, Chief Executive Officer of Ambercare, expressed her appreciation to the crowd, which numbered over 50 people. Rosacker-Sharp was born and raised in the Espanola Valley and began her career with Ambercare as a hospice nurse. She served as executive director of their hospice program before assuming the role of CEO on January 1, 2015.

She and Ambercare are committed to providing home-based medical care to families in rural New Mexico. "I know what limited access really means," she said, stating that Ambercare seeks to empower families in rural areas.

Lynn Nelson, who is based in Albuquerque, has been on staff with Ambercare for 13 years. Her role during those years has varied, and she is now marketing manager, volunteer manager, and certified nursing assistant coordinator. She has stayed with Ambercare because she believes in its mission to help the community.

Mary Merrell, chair of Ambercare's board of directors, is one of the founders of the company. As a nursing school student, she recalls how much she appreciated the home health rotation, which allowed her significantly more time with patients. After her schooling, she and her husband, Mike, moved to Valencia County, where the local hospital had recently closed. They realized that there was a need for home-based health care in New Mexico's rural areas, and Ambercare was born.

Ambercare currently provides three types of services in Grant County: home health care, hospice and durable medical equipment. In some parts of the state they also provide personal care services. Their goal is to be a medical resource for New Mexicans and provide one-stop shopping for their medical needs.

Serving patients in their homes "is just different," says Merrell. There is an immediate impact on the quality of life for both patients and families. Plus, hospital patients tend to be focused on leaving and going home, while patients who are already at home are happy to say: "let's hang out," according to Merrell.

Ambercare's Silver City office is located across the street from the Gila Regional Medical Center. Anyone interested in learning more about their services can contact them at 575-388-1395.