Valet Trash Service Changed My Life.

People often ask me how I got into the Valet Trash business. I mean, as a Physical Therapist Assistant, what would make me change careers to something seemingly so unrelated? I sometimes ponder on the journey that led me here. But it seems that every time I think about it, I learn something new about myself. Let me explain.

Valet Trash In The Past

Many years ago, a few years after graduating college, I moved to Lithonia, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta. I had been working as a Physical Therapist Assistant for the about 5 years and doing relatively well. I was enjoying life, and focusing on my future, my family, and my faith. I moved into a small one-bedroom apartment in a beautiful community, walking distance from Stonecrest Mall. The amenities were awesome! It had not one, but two huge pools with waterfalls! It had a professional business center, a clubhouse, and a fitness center that rivaled any of the local-area gyms. They even offered free personal training and fitness classes. But of all the amenities they provided, the one they did not offer was Valet Trash Service. I’m not really sure if valet trash service was a thing at the time, but I do remember dreading taking out the trash.

I lived on the third floor, and the trash dumpster was on the other side of the complex, near the back. I remember seeing people with trash bags on the hoods of their cars, driving to the dumpster. Some of the bags would fall off and split open, leaving a trail of trash throughout the common areas. For me, it was the rainy, cold days that I dreaded the most. Some people would leave their trash outside their door until the weather cleared up, but that only invited pests and stray animals to tear through them. Others would just toss the bags anywhere near the dumpster, no matter if it was inside or out. Trash was always spread around the dumpster area, which meant that the raccoons were also around. It wasn’t until I moved to a new community that I realized what I had been missing all those years.

“Some people would just toss the bags anywhere near the dumpster, no matter if it was inside or out.”

I ended up moving to Preston Creek Apartments in McDonough, Ga., and although the new community did not have all the “bells and whistles” of the previous one, they did provide Valet Trash Service. And it was a game changer. I loved, loved, loved, and did I say I LOVED this service. I no longer had to fight with raccoons, rainy weather, long walks, or scary dumpsters at night any more! What a difference it made to my feelings about the community. The common areas and hallways were neat and clean, and the dumpster area was not an eyesore. I was proud to have visitors come by, many of whom asked about the trash bin that I would sit by the front door periodically.

Coming Full Circle

Fast forward about 15 years. By this time in my life, I had worked in many different settings as a therapist including acute care, sub-acute, outpatient rehab, skilled nursing, rehab director, and was currently working in home health. I had a new life, a new wife, two new kids, and a new home in Houston, Texas. I was quite a bit away from my days of living in the Preston Creek Apartments. Ironically, it would be the trash service that I was introduced to years ago that would profoundly impact my life as a therapist.

One day I was providing physical therapy to one of my clients, a 91 year old independent woman who lived alone. She only had her daughters to look after her through cameras strategically placed throughout her home. And while she was “independent”, she still had balance issues and weakness that put her at a high risk for falling. She could basically take care of herself with a little assistance from her loved ones.

As I was wrapping up the session, my patient received a phone call from her daughter. I had just grabbed my shoulder bag and was heading out the door when she yelled to me, “hey, don’t leave just yet.” Her daughter was trying to catch me before I left. She asked if I would help her mom with the trash because she was stuck in traffic on the other side of town and would not make it today. Of course I agreed.

She must have had 20 small bags of trash piled up in her back room waiting to be taken out. She put her trash in small plastic grocery bags so they would not be too heavy for her to carry when she used her walker. It broke my heart to see how something seemingly so benign could impact our lives so tremendously. She was a little embarrassed, and very apologetic for asking me to help. I told her not to worry, and that it was my pleasure to help her. She just wanted to live independently, but she just needed a little help with the trash. This was the moment changed my life forever.

I made a commitment to myself to help others like this woman to never have to compromise their dignity to live independently.

If you or a loved one live in a Senior Apartment Community that does not offer this service, ask them to consider it. If you are a Property Management Company, consider offering Valet Trash Service to your residents. They will greatly appreciate it. If you would like Encore to give you a quote for this service or just need more information, visit us at EncoreValetServices.com.