Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Manthey.
Hi Nate, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I have vivid memories from my childhood in the 1980s, where the resonant sound of Grandma’s deep smoker’s cough and laughter echoed through the room. She would assertively slam down her money to acquire Boardwalk and Park Place in our Monopoly games, masterfully expanding her real estate empire. Grandma, always the designated banker and repeated victor, would impart her wisdom with a triumphant grin, “Invest in real estate when the opportunity arises; they aren’t making any more of it.” As we helplessly watched our fortunes slip away into her hands, her words became an enduring mantra of both Monopoly and life. I love my grandma and her wisdom.
Fast forward to my senior year in high school, I ran away from home to show the world I knew everything. I fell flat on my face, and barely graduated high school, and knew I needed to start making better choices. By God’s grace, I ended up in a youth program that took young people and taught them life skills, and I developed a heart to serve humanity. I worked in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas for approximately 11 years. During that time, I married my wife when we were both 21, and I was fortunate to work in churches and orphanages in Africa, Guatemala, and Mexico. I learned a lot about human connection and hospitality.
In 2010, a 7.1 earthquake shook Haiti to its knees, and I felt compelled to go to help. A friend and I equipped with a camera and a notepad traveled to Haiti. We spent 7 weeks there helping to rebuild a shattered country. Through Twitter and Facebook, we were able to raise enough funds to rebuild a school. Our last days there included volunteering at a Hospital, and I knew the next direction of my life. I’m going to medical school when I get back to the States. The school journey took me eight years. I had to relearn simple concepts, things I should have learned the first time in High School. I obtained my real estate license to make ends meet. My wife and I had two kids, and we worked diligently to become debt-free. In school, I followed the Registered Nurse education path to get bedside experience with patients as quickly as possible. I worked as a nurse for 6 years in geriatrics, critical care, and pediatrics. In 2018, my MCAT results were strong enough to secure admission into medical school. I applied and got in.
But then tragedy struck. My mother-in-law was battling comorbidities for several years and became a number in a healthcare system not designed for individuals. She bounced around from emergency rooms to rehabilitation centers and skilled nursing facilities. Congruent care and stability were lost, and she suffered. She ended up passing in her sleep. While we attended her funeral, we listened to family members lament over her. “There has to be a better way for people to age in place,” I thought. I began researching different methodologies and found Light Heart Memory Care which was started in 1997. The model of care focuses on residential homes converted into assisted living facilities that cater to a smaller group of seniors. Big box assisted living facilities institutionalized our loved ones, and again, they become a number and not an individual. My wife and I worked in Light Heart for two years before we purchased the company in 2021. We have since opened another location in Pasadena, Texas, and currently have four homes that cater to those seeking individualized care and attention. This year we are planning to add another home to our community and start a dementia support group. Our residents and families are thriving in these intentional environments where seniors age gracefully one celebration at a time. We are allowed to spend the last years with grandmas and grandpas and get to celebrate them for all they have accomplished in their lifetimes. What a privilege it is to serve those who have served us.
I never went to medical school. I was created to take care of grandmas and grandpas. I reflect on the Monopoly wisdom imparted by my grandmother, the valuable lessons in human connection and hospitality from my 20s, and the medical expertise I acquired on my journey to becoming a Registered Nurse. Now, I can seamlessly integrate all three aspects of my experiences. This trifecta of hospitality, health care, and real estate is changing residents, families, and our communities for the better.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth road? Nah, my path has resembled a Monopoly game where I consistently land on other people’s properties and have to pay the banker and tax collector. It’s been challenging, but I am learning to appreciate the scenic route. Challenges create a platform for self-discovery and personal development. I would not be who I am today with a smooth road. I’m learning to appreciate the potholes and detours.
My wife and I were married for 12 years before we had our first child. We had difficulty conceiving. We did not lose hope. When our first girl was born, we named her Jovial. We were so full of joy at her arrival. But we got through it.
My wife and I are interracially married, and we had loved ones not agree with the union. But we got through it.
I took the MCAT twice before I scored a competent score to get into Medical School. But we got through it.
My family and I had to live separately for 6 months while I worked in Texas, and my wife finished her BSN in Minnesota with our girls. Gosh, that was hard. But we got through it.
Our family moved across the U.S. twice in the middle of Covid. It was a nightmare. But we got through it.
We struggled financially. But we got through it.
Life has a way of testing your resolve and resilience, challenging you with unexpected obstacles and uncertainties that, in turn, forge the strength needed to navigate the complexities of the journey.
But we got through it.
And you can, too!
We’ve been impressed with Light Heart Memory Care, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are Light Heart Memory Care, and we are a small, boutique resident-orientated service. We own residential homes nestled inside neighborhoods throughout SE Houston to aid our loved ones to age in place. Ideally, we want loved ones aging at home, but circumstances sometimes change that. We are the next best thing. We take care of your loved one with a ratio of one caregiver to four residents, it’s the best ratio out there. We can do this because we focus on the care. No one with Dementia acts the same, and we understand that. Our caregivers and managers are trained in Dementia and Alzheimer’s care and techniques to assist our loved ones with best practices.
One of our core beliefs is that of People First. We are in the people business, providing memory care support. We are NOT in the memory care business providing people support. There is a huge distinction here. People first, then the disease. We focus on the care and the individual, not on memory care gadgets, widgets, and devices. These things are great supports, and we utilize them to emphasize the care, not the cure. We will let the experts handle the cure. We are the experts in the care. Our job is not to heal them, but to assist them to live the best quality of life possible. That’s what we do, and we have been doing it successfully for 26 years.
We have been around longer than Google. Imagine that.
What are your plans for the future?
We have some exciting plans for the future. We plan on adding a new home to our Pasadena, Texas, community and expanding one of our current locations in Webster, Texas, this year. We are constantly tweaking our training programs and support programs for our residents, families, and staff. We plan to double our offerings in the next 5 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lightheartmemorycare.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightHeartMemoryCare/
