Relief for moms, just a call away
By Lynn Wolstenholme
Whether a parent needs help with a new infant in the home, dealing with a colicky baby or just wanting to be able to take a shower by herself, Stonehouse Medical Staffing is available to help.
Stonehouse Medical Staffing opened in January with a focus on senior home care. Now the private service business has broadened its horizons and its clientele with its new program, Mommy Relief.
Stonehouse is next to a pediatrician's office, and co-founder Joanne Seim said one day she saw a pregnant woman trying to get two toddlers in the car. She said, “I thought, 'Why are we not helping moms?'”
Other founders are John Mullenholz, of McLean, and his two daughters, Kristin Emery and Jennifer Smith, both of Falls Church.
In May, Mommy Relief was launched.
“[The program], devised by moms, is designed to offer assistance in the home after mom or dad bring home a new baby, they need help with other children or special needs children,” Seim said.
“There isn't a mom alive who can't remember sleep deprivation,” Seim added. “We don't want people to feel that anymore. We are here to help.”
Stonehouse has six employees in house and approximately 30 babysitters, registered nurses and occupational, physical and speech therapists who work with the company.
All employees have gone through rigorous background checks prior to hiring.
“We wanted to make sure we had a good core group of people we could count on,” Seim explained.
Stonehouse clients can call any time they need assistance, but regular office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services are on a need basis.
The minimum requirement for Stonehouse staffing is a four-hour minimum and prices start at $20 per hour, depending on the services needed.
“The interesting thing is that parents of children with special needs have all these support groups in the area, but they don't have anyone to watch their child while they attend,” Seim said. “We are here to do that.”
“The moms we serve are not asking for a week in Paris,” Seim explained. “They just want to take a shower.”