Photos courtesy of David Bulindah. Top left: Irene and David Buhlindah. Upper right: Ricky, a resident, David, and Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto.

Adult family homes do more than provide medical services. As the name suggests, they are a place to call home for people who, according to the Adult Family Home Council of Washington State, “may require extra assistance with daily tasks and personal care.” In the Lacey area, House of David Adult Family Home is facilitated by proprietors David and Irene Bulindah. Thanks to their caring staff, residents receive 24-hour support in a warm, comfortable, familiar environment.

The AFH Council explains that Adult Family Homes differ from Assisted Living. “While both Adult Family Homes and Assisted Living Facilities provide personal care and assistance with activities of daily living, there are a few key differences. Adult Family Homes are usually smaller and offer a more homey ambiance, whereas assisted living facilities may feel more clinical or institutional. Moreover, AFHs are authorized to care for a maximum of six residents, while assisted living facilities can accommodate many more residents.”

House of David AFH opened their doors in 2020 and welcomes six residents in a shared room setting. Bulindah’s other property is House of Blessings Yelm AFH, and it can also accommodate six residents in private or shared rooms. House of Blessings Yelm opened for business in September 2023.

Wife Irene Bulindah has been in the nursing field for more than 20 years, and husband David has extensive caregiver and mental health experience. They moved from Kenya almost 25 years ago.

Families choose to place loved ones with an AFH for many reasons, explains Bulindah. “Taking care of someone impacts the caregiver,” he says, “because they don’t see them as a sick person but as mom or dad. And caregivers have a daily life: work, kids, home. Patients need proper care, especially with dementia.”

Because COVID-19 hit almost exactly when House of David opened their doors in Lacey, the business felt its impact from day one. Bulindah said their carefully crafted business plan “did not materialize, so we went to the county commissioner’s office, who put us in touch with Michael Cade of the Thurston Economic Development Council and others.”

Eventually, they could find support specifically earmarked for dementia care and received a COVID small business grant from ARPA funds awarded through Thurston County. Their residents include patients with dementia and developmental disabilities, and grant funding helped with daily operations costs.

Bulindah has attended EDC events, networking activities, Washington Center for Women in Business meetings, and several mixers with the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce. He credits the EDC’s Center for Business & Innovation for startup help with bookkeeping and daily operational training. He also works with a group of local AFH owners, and together, they’ve met with the EDC and members of the legislature to discuss AFH-related funding, grants, and resource opportunities.

There is a tremendous need for more AFH care in our area. House of David is already complete, and House of Blessings, though barely six months old, is filling fast. “There’s a need to establish places like this,” says Bulindah, “because, for example, we’re the only one within Yelm city limits. We’re meeting with the Yelm mayor and looking to build a larger-scale dementia location soon. More needs to be done.”

“But the support we need is a lot,” he admits. “It’s difficult and expensive to find caregivers, and recent money from the Department of Commerce didn’t make the current budget, so we don’t have it this year. Hopefully, next time.”

To learn more about either home, contact David Bulindah at [email protected] or by calling 302.339.0579. They hope to launch a website with details and information later in 2024.

There are more than 4,200 adult-family homes in Washington State. But with a maximum of eight residents each, that’s not enough for our aging population. Columbia University reports that dementia numbers are on the rise, with one in ten older adults needing help due to this type of cognitive impairment.

Keeping family members close to home while ensuring they receive the skilled care needed is vital to everyone’s long-term physical and mental health. AFH can help prevent caregiver burnout and let friends and relatives visit loved ones in a warm, welcoming environment. We all feel the blessings thanks to tireless providers like David and Irene Bulindah.