The owner of a Suffolk home health care franchise recently won the “Woman on the Rise Award” from ACHI Magazine.

“The whole thing just kind of took me by surprise,” said Shonda Washington. “I’m not one that’s usually speechless, but I was speechless.”

Washington is a retired Navy nurse who left the service in 2011 but wanted to remain involved in health care.

“I really feel like I was led to do this,” Washington said. “I consider this my ministry. This is my gift, and I don’t mind sharing that.”

Washington owns Accessible Home Health Care, which has an office on Holland Road. She said she likes to help people stay in their homes, even if they choose another company.

“People want to remain in their homes, but they don’t know how,” she said. “Whether people decided to use my company or not, I just want them to get the help they need and deserve.”

Washington says she also enjoys mentoring the aides that work for her company.

“One of my goals was to be a mentor as well to young women,” she said. “I encourage them to go to school. We want people that work with us to be successful. I want to have an impact on the clients, but I also want to have an impact on my aides too. I really do want to encourage the employees that work here.”

Washington said she frequently picks up employees who need a ride and advises employees about financial planning. She wants them to be successful because they have helped her be successful, she said.

“All the hard work they do, it’s a team effort,” she said. “I really love what I do.”