Maricopa’s newest residential assisted living facility is Haven House AZ.
The Sorrento home serves as a hospice for Maricopa’s elderly residents. It can hold up to five residents and provides each with care, comfort and events to keep them active.
“We provide all levels of care and consider each resident to be family, and that’s how we treat them,” owner Debbie Everett said. “This is where our residents come to be taken care of, and where most of them will likely die. So we make sure we offer activities that provide life.”
Everett learned about caretaking when she was just 15. She immediately fell in love with the industry and pursued it as a career for decades. Last year, she became a registered nurse.
She and her husband Chris remodeled their home so she could open Haven House. The Everetts widened the doors, made the bathrooms wheelchair accessible, added ramps and installed sprinkler systems.
“My husband really pushed me and supported me,” Everett said. “It’s not easy to give up so much family time, but he did, and I couldn’t have done it without him. He even went and became a certified caregiver on top of his career to help out with our residents.”
Haven House was awarded its business license in September, and Everett has already welcomed one resident into her home. The home has four bedrooms and offers both private and semi-private rooms.
Everett hopes to fill the house soon and expand her care across Arizona. “We would like to have six locations,” Everett said, “possibly more in Maricopa, one in San Tan Valley, Queen Creek and even Show Low one day.”
602-999-0428
OWNER PROFILE
Debbie Everett, Haven House AZ
BUSINESS
First job: Caregiver
Favorite job: Caregiver and massage therapist. I always enjoyed taking care of people
Why this business: I love to work with the elderly.
Why Maricopa: It’s calm and relaxing, and it’s our home.
Greatest challenge: Going to nursing school
Greatest opportunity: Owning my own business and providing great care for the city’s elderly individuals.
What was the best business advice you ever received: “Work for yourself.”
PERSONAL
Lives in: Sorrento
Education: Gateway Community College
Family: Husband Chris Everett, seven children and 10 grandchildren
Pet Peeves: Having a dirty house
Car: Toyota
Currently reading: Nothing at the moment, but I love mysteries
FAVORITES
Food: Mexican
Beverage: Water
Music: Soft rock
Sport: Football
Team: San Francisco 49ers
Travel destination: Spain and Mexico
This story was published in the November issue of InMaricopa News.