A closer look at the Council’s work with Oregon care home providers and why Synkwise is proud to support it.
Running a care home leaves little time to follow every change happening outside its walls, even when those changes can eventually affect the home.
That is part of why the Oregon Care Home Council exists. We recently sat down with Council President and Founder Raluca Nicorici Stoica to learn more about the work behind it.
What Is the Oregon Care Home Council?
The Oregon Care Home Council works to support care home providers across Oregon and strengthen their voice within the industry.
Stoica has spent nearly 20 years in the field. She is a nurse and a care home provider herself, so many of the issues the Council takes on are ones she has experienced firsthand.
One idea stood out when we talked with her. Pointing out a problem is only half the job.
Stoica’s approach is to consider what a workable solution might look like and bring that into the conversation. That practical mindset continues to shape how the Council approaches its work.
Why Provider Representation Matters
The Oregon Care Home Council works to bring the provider perspective into conversations that can affect care homes across the state. For Raluca, that means helping decision-makers understand what those changes may look like once they reach an actual care home.
Doing that work takes time away from the home. Raluca joked during our conversation that she had spent so many hours at the Capitol she might as well change her address to Salem.
There was humor in it, but the point was real. Most providers cannot take part in every discussion that may affect their homes.
Support Beyond the Statehouse
Some of the Council’s most practical work happens much closer to the day-to-day realities of running a care home.
Raluca described the importance of creating spaces where providers can connect with others who understand that experience. Those communities can give providers somewhere to turn when something unfamiliar comes up.
The Council is also developing additional resources for its members. Raluca discussed the Council’s work with an attorney to develop a private-pay residency agreement, with the goal of having it approved by the state and eventually available to members. She was also clear that the project is still being developed.
That work also raises a broader question. How do you support a care home without also supporting the person responsible for keeping it running?
Supporting the People Behind the Home
For Raluca, that question is personal.
Provider well-being deserves more attention because, for many owners, responsibility does not disappear when a scheduled shift ends.
When you live where you work, the home may be quiet for the evening, but you still know you could be needed if something changes overnight. Carrying that responsibility without much distance from it can take a toll over time.
That is why Raluca sees provider well-being as part of the larger conversation about sustainability. Keeping a home open matters, but so does whether the person behind it can continue doing the work well.
Having enough support around you can make it possible to genuinely step away once in a while.
What Comes Next for the Council?
The Oregon Care Home Council is still growing, and much of what Raluca wants to build remains ahead of it.
She spoke about the need to better prepare people before they open a care home so they understand what the role actually requires. She also sees opportunities to make parts of the provider experience clearer and help people identify outside resources they can trust.
The specific projects may change as the Council develops, but Raluca’s approach stays consistent. When providers keep running into the same obstacle, she wants to understand why and look for a practical way forward.
That provider-first, solution-focused approach is also a big part of why the partnership with Synkwise feels like a natural fit.
Why Synkwise Is Partnering With the Oregon Care Home Council
Synkwise grew from direct experience in residential care, and that perspective still shapes how we approach our work today. We believe providers should have a meaningful voice in the systems that affect them, a belief we share with the Oregon Care Home Council.
That perspective also resonated with members of our own team who have operated care homes and recognized many of the same challenges.
Partnering with the Council gives us another way to keep listening to providers and stay connected to the realities of residential care.
Nobody Makes It Alone
One idea kept resurfacing throughout our conversation with Stoica. Running a care home may feel independent, but providers do not have to navigate the industry by themselves.
If you run an adult care home in Oregon, learn more about the Oregon Care Home Council, the people behind it, and how you can get involved.
Connect with the Oregon Care Home Council
Oregon Care Home Council connecting with providers and industry partners at recent events.
