Barth Holohan has always been inspired by seniors. “Mostly I enjoyed the wisdom and experiences that they would share,” said Holohan, 34. “I could see that many of them felt lonely and isolated, but they had a lot of experiences to share. I discovered many of them were alone because their spouse and friends had died, and in some cases their family lived out of the area. A lot of people didn’t have the support systems that they needed.”
Holohan created Continuum in St. Louis in 2002, remaining focused on his goal of helping to care for those who have difficulty caring for themselves. The company provides in-home assistance to those in need of care including transportation and meal deliveries. They also offer care management assistance, nursing assistance and bill payment. After only four years in business, Continuum has over 150 employees.
“He is the most dedicated person I know,” said Cathy Pasierb, director of care for Continuum. “He keeps everyone in the business focused on keeping the customer No. 1. He’s successful because that always comes first.”
Holohan began his career with Ernst & Young as a health-care consultant, but returned to school focusing on Gerontology, because he missed working with seniors. He obtained master’s degrees in social work and business administration from Washington University. He then worked in retirement communities before founding Continuum.
Holohan’s volunteerism includes serving on the board of directors for The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, the ALS Association and the Gerontology Advisory Committee for the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University.
Holohan lives with his wife and daughter in Richmond Heights.
(Excerpt paraphrased from January 12, 2007, issue of St. Louis Business Journal article by Nick Sargent)
