Celebrating a champion for seniors and caregivers for 20 years

By Debi Friesz

"A caregiver made me do it!”

Those six words capture the passion that has guided Julie Williams throughout her 20-year journey serving seniors in Clark County.

In 2005, Williams was working in the financial world when a business trip took her to Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended a caregiver appreciation dinner hosted by the Home Instead network. There, a caregiver was honored for her extraordinary dedication, the meaningful relationships she built and the profound impact she had on her clients’ lives.

“I was blown away,” Williams recalls. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. My hands stung from clapping so hard. It was at that moment that I said, ‘I want to do this. I want to make an impact like that!’”

Just one year later, Williams purchased a Home Instead franchise, beginning what has become two decades of compassionate service to older adults and their families.

“It's been 20 years, and I have never looked back,” she says. “Caregivers are my heroes and my teachers. Their hearts guide my business. I feel so fortunate to be in this field, in this community, working with amazing healthcare providers and caring for our wonderful seniors.”

Since opening the business in 2006, Williams has helped countless older adults remain safely and comfortably in their own homes by providing compassionate caregivers who assist with activities of daily living. Recognizing that caregivers are the heart of high-quality home care, she has consistently honored their dedication through monthly and annual awards celebrating exceptional service.

Williams has also pioneered the expansion of private-pay, in-home caregiving services for older adults in Clark County, helping establish home care as a trusted option for families seeking to help loved ones age in place.

Her commitment extends far beyond her business.

In 2015, Williams supported the capital campaign to build the CDM Caregiving Services Adult Day Center through the Give65 campaign. That year, she joined the CDM Board of Directors, on which she continues to serve today.

Williams has been a driving force behind the Senior Heroes Awards since the program’s inception a decade ago, serving as chair for four years. In recognition of her leadership and service, she received the Pat Jollota Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

Her servant’s heart is perhaps most visible through the Be a Santa to a Senior program. Williams introduced the initiative at her Home Instead office in 2008 and led the community effort from 2013-2025. Each holiday season, the program brought gifts and companionship to underserved seniors who might otherwise spend Christ-mas alone or receive no presents, reminding them that they are valued and remembered.

Williams is also a passionate advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness and brain health. She leads a Home Instead team that participates annually in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, raising significant funds to support research and care. In 2022, her team became the ninth-highest fundraising team across the entire Home Instead network. Creative community events, including an ‘80s dance party and two bingo night fundraisers, each generated $5,000-$6,000 to support the cause.

Beyond fundraising, Williams facilitates brain health workshops, serves as a panel expert for Hope Dementia’s educational programs and has contributed to the Hope Dementia Support Advisory Council for seven years.

Over the past two decades, Williams has shown that true success is measured not by years in business, but by the lives she has touched, the families she has supported, the caregivers she has empowered and the stronger community she has helped build through compassion and service. Her unwavering commitment to giving without expecting anything in return is a value deeply rooted in the example set by her parents, whose influence continues to inspire the way she leads and serves others.

As Williams celebrates 20 years of business and leadership, Clark County celebrates alongside her — with gratitude for the difference she has made and anticipation for all that is still to come.

Debi Friesz is the business development manager at Home Instead in Vancouver.