Relationships at the Heart of Care: What Makes TFH Feel Like Home
by Trudy Task, Chief ICF Administrator
Treats Falls House (TFH) is a residential home in Orono, Maine, that provides 24-hour support and healthcare services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have complex medical, behavioral, or support needs. As an Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID), TFH combines clinical services, skilled support, and meaningful opportunities for community involvement in a home-like setting. At TFH, our focus is simple: creating a place where people feel safe, respected, and valued.
At Treats Falls House, we provide far more than nursing care. We operate under extensive federal and state regulations, including Maine’s behavioral health requirements, while providing comprehensive nursing, programming, dining, housekeeping, transportation, social services, and many other supports.
Healthcare will always bring challenges to navigate. Regulations change, needs become more complex, and the work asks a great deal of every person on our team. But the heart of TFH has never been found in those challenges alone. It is found in the relationships we build each day, the trust we earn over time, and the commitment we share to know each resident as a whole person deserving dignity, compassion, and respect.
Perhaps the most influential players in creating this environment are our nursing staff. Through a primary nursing model, our Treats Falls House nurses truly know the people they care for—their routines, preferences, personalities, and the subtle changes that can make all the difference. This knowledge of and care for the people we serve doesn’t just impact our residents. It also strengthens our communication and trust with guardians, families, physicians, and the rest of the TFH team. When everyone shares information and works together, our residents receive more personalized, consistent care.
Our programming staff are just as important to this process. They work alongside nursing every day to support activities of daily living, encourage community involvement, and help residents reach their individual goals. Care doesn’t happen in separate departments here. It happens because people communicate, collaborate, and genuinely care about one another and the residents they serve.
That same philosophy extends beyond our staff. With the greater TFH community in mind, we’ve made it a priority to create opportunities for families, friends, and guardians to spend time together. Whether it’s over a barbecue or a potluck, it’s been wonderful to see familiar faces reconnect, meet new families, and spend time together outside of care, conferences, and appointments. These relationships matter just as much to the care of those we support.
While we invest in our community, our community is also investing in us. We see this in the time, resources, and input that they offer, all in the service of promoting high-quality care. No matter the reason or occasion, it is always encouraging to see the trust that people put into us.
Healthcare will continue to change. Regulations will evolve, new models of care will emerge, and there will always be challenges to navigate. But the heart of TFH has never been found in regulation or policy. It’s found in the relationships we build, the trust we earn, and the commitment we share to ensure every resident is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. That’s what makes TFH feel like home, and that’s something worth holding onto.
