About Matalau Home Care

I am Waliki N Satakala from the Fiji Islands, in the South Pacific. I was formerly a senior Correctional Officer of the Fiji Correctional Service. I served as Officer-in-Charge of the five significant prisons in Fiji, including as two-time Director of Training of the Fiji Correctional Staff Training College.

Following my resignation in early 2007, I ventured into business. I started two companies: Matalau Tours [Fiji] and Siwatuna Enterprise, which served as crew agents to Chinese fishing vessels that fish within the Pacific waters.

Upon entering the United States in September 2015, I attended a 6-month business training program. We were each assigned to write a business plan as part of the program. Before working on my project plan, I scanned the business environment of the United States and discovered that home care service was the fastest growing industry in this country. I wrote a business plan for a home care agency named “Matalau Home Care.” Thus, the dream to start a home care agency here in California was conceived. At this point, I knew I would need to work hard to fulfill my dream.

After obtaining certificates of relevant training, I was registered with the State of California as a Home Care Aide. As a private caregiver, I have worked in facilities, hospitals, and various home care situations. I love this work so much; it brings satisfaction to me. Listening and sharing past experiences with loved ones is so wonderful. Meanwhile, I continued distributing my business cards to all the people I met. I also built a network with other caregivers and helped to place many of them in home care jobs.

In May of 2021, while in the middle of yet another discussion about the home care business and my dream, my current employer turned to me and said, “Alex! Let’s do it!” I said, “What?” And she repeated, “Let’s do it together! Let’s make your dream come true!” With amazement and excitement, I was taken by surprise. That is the beginning of the Matalau Home Care Agency.

Finally, I wish to record my heartfelt gratitude to Carol Berghen for her trust and faith in me to form the Matalau Home Care business partnership.

I am Carol Berghen, co-owner of Matalau Home Care in San Francisco where we provide in-home care and assistance to seniors and any others requiring help at home.

I am a former registered nurse and currently an architect and principal of my architectural practice. I have been the care partner for my husband with advanced Parkinson’s Disease, diagnosed 25 years ago. I understand and have experienced firsthand the increasing demand for caregiving, staying on top of the medication schedule and ever-changing symptoms, absorbing more and more household responsibilities, scheduling medical appointments, prescription refills, raising a family, and managing my business in an effort to keep him comfortable at home.

As my husband’s needs increased and his safety became a bigger issue it was clear that part-time help was not sufficient. Two years ago I realized I could no longer maintain this pace and we decided to hire a full-time, live-in caregiver.

The sense of relief that our caregiver, Waliki Satakala, provides, is a gift. I am able to concentrate on my work, replenish my sleep, exercise and enjoy some non-caregiving activities with my husband.

As I observed Waliki’s caregiving skills I was touched by his devotion to caring for my husband. I was reminded of my childhood motivation to become a nurse to provide care for those in need, and my work as an architect designing clinics for patient care and medical research laboratories to find solutions to medical illnesses. Following several conversations about Waliki’s dream to have a home care agency and knowing that there are many families in a similar situation to my own, I was compelled to join him in his dream.

We have combined our business skills to form a partnership for the creation of the Matalau Home Care Agency. Understanding the need for assistance and companionship to allow loved ones to safely remain at home, we share the same goal: to provide high-quality home care service for all.