Lani Hansen/Senior Reporter
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma– A Native American owned company out of Oklahoma City has branched out to Okmulgee serving those in need of home health.
Abiding Home Health is a home health care service that was founded in San Antonio, Texas by Chickasaw citizen Brett Bell. After four years spent in Texas his parents retired and took interest in the business with him. They found a location in Oklahoma City for the company and have been there for 16 years.
Bell who is from Yukon, OK is the great-grandson of former Chief of the Chickasaw Nation E. B. Hugh Maytubby. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma and his first job was with the Indian Health Service as an accountant. Bell has also interned with the FEMA Indians in Phoenix, Arizona.
After moving around for so many years with Kodak and Fujifilm, Bell decided he wanted to start his own business, which is Abiding Home Health. He has been operating the business for about 20 years now.
Abiding Home Health is a family owned and operated company, dedicated to providing professional, high quality, compassionate care to patients needing assistance in the home setting. It is the goal of the company’s goal to make a difference in the short and long term care of each patient admitted into the services.
Recently, the company branched out into the Okmulgee area where Muscogee (Creek) citizen Lyndsey Reyes serves as the marketer of the company.
Reyes who grew up in Okmulgee and is from the Weogufkee ceremonial grounds but coincides with Arbeka ceremonial grounds, is the grand-daughter of former MCN Speaker Wilbur (Chebon) Gouge. Before Gouge’s passing, his home health nurse stayed for several weeks at the house. Reyes always knew she wanted to be in nursing after watching the nurse care for her great-grandfather, but was not sure what her role would be.
“I started out as a Certified Nurses Aide (CNA) then I worked my way up and now I am working on the marketing app for our company,” Reyes said. “Although I am not giving care, I’m able to coordinate care for people who need help in the home.”
Abiding Home Health provides services to those who need physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, skilled nursing care, a medical social worker and coordinated services.
“With Brett being Native, our goal is to focus on the minority because there is a big need of home health in homes and they don’t know that it’s available,” she added.
One of their long-term goals for the company is to cover Oklahoma, with majority of Texas being covered by Abiding Home Health services.
The company is Native-owned but serve Natives and non-Natives who need the services.
Abiding Home Health services are open 24/7. Okmulgee does have an office but the nursing staff is located in Henryetta.
Anyone in need of home health services in the Okmulgee or western area contact Lyndsey Reyes at: 918-752-5834.
The Oklahoma City area the number is: 405-607-2302.
