Background
Carol Abaya, who coined the term “Sandwich Generation”, estimates that more than a quarter of American families are involved in some way with elder/parent care. Many of those families also care for children. These families become sandwiched in the middle, pulled in two directions.

Founded by sisters and Columbus natives Sue Beth Bunn and Melissa Hargett, the idea for Care Matters was born from their own family’s need. When Sue Beth and her husband welcomed their first child to the family, they suddenly found themselves members of the "sandwich generation." After the death of the sisters’ mother, their elderly grandmother required daily care, as did Sue Beth's small child. To help out, Melissa decided to return to Columbus from her work in Atlanta. After using several care agencies in town, the sisters were frustrated with the lack of attention to their exact needs.

Melissa's previous experience had taught her a tremendous amount about the assisted living and nursing home industry, while Sue Beth had experienced a crash course in navigating the geriatric healthcare system with their grandmother’s situation. The sisters realized there had to be other people in a similar situation, and set about planning a company designed specifically to help adults struggling between elderly parents and small children.

Philosophy
Care Matters’ philosophy is that we are in business to provide caring, quality assistance to those in need and to help relieve the stress placed on family members currently caring for their loved ones. We offer our clients solutions to give them the ability to enjoy a higher quality of life by allowing them to live at home, where they want to be, as long as possible. Some clients may eventually have to move to long-term care facilities or experience a hospital stay, or may require more one-on-one care than a facility staff and /or family are able to provide. We are more than happy to coordinate our services with the current caregivers to assist in providing the best care possible.  

Management
As the executive director of Care Matters, Inc. Sue Beth has experienced being the caregiver of an aging loved one and truly understands the challenges of families in the same situation. She strives to provide comfort and knowledge to those finding themselves in the new, sometimes challenging position of caregiver to their own family.

As director of services, Melissa brings more than two decades of work in the healthcare and eldercare industry. Her experience includes extensive knowledge regarding the special needs of the elderly and how their diminishing senses, physical and cognitive abilities play a significant role in how they relate to their environment and those around them. She has extensive training in barrier-free living and in the special needs of those with Alzheimer’s.

Memberships and Associations
Member of the Better Business Bureau serving West Georgia, East Alabama and Southwest Georgia
Member of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Member of National Private Duty Association