Leading Ladies: Caroline Naughton Rumowicz

Home Health Care Executive, Cathleen Naughton Associates

Tiffany Axtmann

Posted Wednesday, May 7, 2014 4:51 pm

For Caroline Naughton Rumowicz, work begins and ends with family. Her business, Cathleen Naughton Associates, a visting nurse service and elder care resource, was started by her mother and is now in its second generation of being a female owned, family business. “I’m following in my mother’s footsteps,” Caroline says. “I started in 1978 working with her. I worked part time through college and decided that I was in for the long run.”

Caroline carries the family philosophy of customer service through her daily work, helping other local families in times of difficulty. Cathleen Naughton Associates is an elder care resource, providing in-home care to match any degree of need, whether that’s a two-hour weekly visit or round the clock nursing. “Our agency has evolved over the years from being a staffing company, to a private duty health care agency, to a skilled visit- ing nursing program and then to a combination of all of them,” Caroline says. “Now we’ve started a non-medical division to make the coverage complete for seniors and baby boomers.”

The agency’s visiting nurses can provide medication and nutrition counseling, wound care, diabetic teaching and education on disease management. They can also provide in-home rehabilitation services, including physical and occupational therapy. Cathleen Naughton Associates also provides the in-home services of a Masters-level Social Worker, including counseling for the patient and family, and assessment of mental functioning associated with the dementia, anxiety and depression so common in the aging population. Social workers can also provide crisis intervention and support to families during transition into alternate living situations and through difficult times in nursing care. “We’re a resource for those who are in crisis, or difficult health care situ- ations,” Caroline explains. “We can actually sometimes make it better.”

And really, making it better during difficult times is what the agency is all about. “We’re compassionate listeners,” Caroline says. “We’re problem solvers, a total resource for all health and home related services.” Cathleen Naughton is also committed to helping the community in times of need. “As a company, we have a lot to be thankful for,” Caroline explains. “Our mission includes giving back to the community on a regular basis.” The company commits to two giving programs annu- ally: recipients include the South County Domes- tic Violence Resource Center, North Kingstown Food Pantry and Welcome House in Peacedale.

However, it’s not all about crises. Cathleen Naughton Associates can also simply provide a helping hand. Home support allows seniors to stay in their homes longer, providing personal care, bath service, help with therapeutic exercise, meal preparation, light housekeeping, medication reminders and shopping. Their Homemaker Companions provide transportation, and can even be travel companions. Their concierge service helps ease the burdens of daily life when errands, shop- ping and cooking become daunting. “We’re an all-inclusive service to help with aging parents and those little details of life that get in the way,” Caroline says.

Caroline graduated from Bryant with a BS in business administration, and with a Masters in health services administration from Salve Regina. She’s a 2010 graduate of Leadership Rhode Island, and received the Distinguished Graduate Alumni award from Salve in 2013. She and her husband Greg have two daughters, Lydia and Grace, one dog, one cat and two guinea pigs.

As she says, “I take an interest in every client that comes to our company and want to be a resource for you, your parents and, if need be, your kids.”