Our History
The Origin of Our Name
In the early 1900's various community agencies provided "visiting cleaners," "visiting housekeepers," or "mother's aides" to help families with young children during a mother's illness or convalescence.
In 1923, the Jewish Welfare Society established the first "Homemaker Service" in the United States. In 1937, the U.S. Children's Bureau sponsored the first national conference on "supervised housekeeping services," which led to the formation of the National Committee for Homemaker Service. The National Council for Homemaker Service was incorporated in 1962. In 1971, that organization became the National Council for Homemaker-Home Health Aide Services, Inc. and later the National Home Caring Council. Today it's known as the National Home Care Association.
The Homemakers Health Services was originally incorporated under the name - The Strafford County Homemaker/Home Health Aid Services, Inc. The name of the Agency was later changed to The Homemakers of Strafford County and today is known as The Homemakers Health Services.
Realizing that many elderly people would be able to remain in their homes rather than being sent to a nursing home or could be discharged sooner from the hospital if they just had a little help - someone to help them with cooking and light housekeeping because their hands were gnarled with arthritis or someone to monitor their general health status and help them bathe following hospitalization - in 1973 a group of community leaders began a grassroots effort to develop such a program.
Recognizing the value of such a vital program, the group soon expanded into a larger Steering Committee, which included representatives of the County Delegation and Commissioners, the New Hampshire Division of Welfare, local hospitals, visiting nurse and mental health associations, housing authorities, religious groups, mental health, and housing associations, senior centers and the legal profession.
On March 22, 1974, five members of that Steering Committee incorporated the Agency as a nonprofit homemaker/home health aide service. Soon after, with a staff of ten aides who each worked 20 hours per week, the Agency began offering services to meet its original mission - to prevent or postpone unnecessary or premature hospitalization or institutionalization.
Over the years, the Agency has grown from a staff of 10 part-time homemakers to a staff of 130 and from an original nine-month budget of $75,000 to an annual operating budget of more than $3 million. Over the years, The Homemakers has continued to expand the services it offers to meet the increasing needs of adults in our community and to provide a complete continuum of care.
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