VALDOSTA – When Vickie Bush, CEO of Give Adults a Break, first began the process of starting her own business catering to, well, giving adults a break, coming up with a name was easy.
Give Adults a Break came from Bush’s own personal experience dealing with a loved one she treasured who was slipping away. She knew from her own experience that others must be needing the same help she had.
Bush, literally, pounded the pavement winning over people, businesses and agencies since the beginning of 2019. Not giving up, no matter how many doors shut in her face, Bush eventually began not only to brand her business, but build it.
She began accepting clients – which are adults who are disabled in some way – whose caregivers desperately need a break.
Last Wednesday, Bush couldn’t have been prouder when she introduced the writer into her new brick-and-mortar location. She had almost given up on finding a location she could afford on her budget as a startup. And luck, Bush says, had nothing to do with it.
“I’ve been blessed,” Bush said. “The Lord keeps opening doors for me. When I’m ready to just put it all down and give up, He steps in and opens up another door.”
Bush has had several “divine appointments” with the higher realms. Her beginning might have seemed difficult at times, but she has single-handedly been able to rally support and investors from a variety of sources.
As she showed the writer around her new three-day-a-week facility, she explained The Light House church on Park Avenue graciously allowed her to rent the sizable space for a very reasonable price. “God is good,” she said dreamily.
Bush managed to have several clients even without the facility, visiting them at their homes and even at her own home. Now, she’s able to facilitate clients at The Light House where she has chairs and tables set up with stations set up for the clients’ specific needs.
Bush likes to mix it up, according to her client. Today she had Emma Bramlett, 69, whose family couldn’t be happier to have met Bush a couple of months ago.
“I have Emma five days a week,” Bush said prior to her client’s arrival. Bush explained that Mrs. Bramlett had begun exhibiting signs of Alzheimer’s a couple of years ago, forgetting things here and there. Her doting son, Tim Bramlett, and his wife, Judy, were understandably devastated to lose “mama” a little bit more everyday.
When Emma arrived with Tim and Judy, the three sat down at one of the tables and praised Bush for what a beautiful and creative space she’d acquired. Bush had been going to their house five days a week and now she has a chance to get Emma out in a new environment.
Tim underwent open heart surgery recently and it took two full months for him to recover enough to care fully for his mother. At the onset of Emma’s disease, she had asked Tim and Judy to please never leave her alone.
When Tim’s heart faltered, it broke even more when he and Judy had to make the difficult decision to put her in an assisted care home.
“No offense to the place where she was,” Tim said, adding, “It just wasn’t what mama needed. She just sat in a wheelchair and wasn’t talking at all.”
As soon as Tim was able, they got her out and back home.
Then, along came Vickie Bush and her burgeoning new company Give Adults a Break.
“That’s exactly what we needed,” Tim said, Judy nodding in agreement. “Mama needs a break, but so do we.”
Give Adults a Break is a private-pay service that Bush is growing. She caters to each person’s individual needs.
Emma loves Nascar and baseball. She also likes soul food.
“Today she’s getting fried chicken,” Bush said.
They also made tie-dyed shirts.
For Bush, it is rewarding. “It is a worry, but it is a different kind of worry than if I were working for another company,” Bush said. “Because I love what I am doing. This is priceless knowing I played a part changing their life and giving them their independence.”
Tim and Judy nod emphatically, pointing out that “Mama” now says what she wants, even “walked up the hill” in their yard the day before.
“She was a little bit winded,” Judy said, “But that’s such a huge change from where she was.”
The one-on-one attention that Give Adults a Break provides for clients cannot be underestimated.
“I try different things with them, adult Legos, life-sized Connect 4 games, a little bit of everything,” Bush says of her customized care.
Emma is a perfect example how being stimulated, being treated as a relevant human being, revives some of what fades from an aging individual.
“Vickie is an angel,” Tim said.
“Yes, she is,” Judy chimed in. “She brought mama back to us.”
“If something happened to my parents and had to put them somewhere, I’d like to know they were in someone’s hands like mine. It’s been an emotional roller coaster but I would do it all again if I had to.”
Lighthouse Church is located at 1412 E. Park Avenue and here is Give Adults Facebook page.
Bush is always looking for opportunities to expand her services. She has already been granted contributions from various sources.
“I’d like to thank those who have helped so much,” Bush said.
Those who have made what Bush does possible include:
- Citizens Community Bank
- First Federal Savings of Valdosta
- First Franklin
- Malibu Vibes
- Valdosta Printing
- Barnes Drugs
- Georgia’s BBQ
- McMullen Southside Library
- Rapid Real Estate Resource
- Shaw Industries
- Rescare & AAA Agency
- All those who bought Give Adults a Break raffle tickets (the proceeds of which went to LAMP, Valdosta
Give Adults a Break needs donations, including at least 2-3 laptops, money, four painting easels, paintbrushes, canvases and storage containers.
“I want people out there to know there’s help,” Bush said. “People call different agencies and they often don’t qualify or there are no openings. If you look around for activity centers there is only one, run through Medicare. Greenleaf accepts people but they require you to have chemical/alcohol dependency. People who don’t have a dependency deserve an outlet that provides social stimulation.”
Bush is a familiar face at health fairs, such as Azalea City Festival and the recent Dr. Seuss’ Read Across America.
Bush is building a relationship with Easter Seals, which collaborates with Moody Air Force Base
Give Adults a Break is accepting clients for a flat fee. For more information or to schedule services, call Vickie Bush at 229-292-0021 or email giveadultsbreak@yahoo.com.
