About New Estuary Home Care
Meet our team of professional caregivers, who strive every day to provide personalized, high-quality in-home care to your loved ones.
Our Team
The entire New Estuary Team, from office staff to
caregivers, are experienced, reliable
professionals, who take pride in what they do.
Jessica Puttbach
OWNER & AGENCY DIRECTOR
(910)541-1160 ext 1
jessica@newestuaryhomecare.com
Jessica Puttbach founded New Estuary Home Care with the heartfelt missiion to help seniors live safely, comfortably, and with dignity in the place they call home.
Driven by her passion for caring for older adults and inspired by firsthand experience witnessing the challenges families face when searching for dependable care, Jessica built New Estuary Home Care on the values that matter most: compassion, trust, reliability, meaningful relationships, and clear communication.
The name New Estuary reflects her vision of bringing together families, caregivers, and professional support to create a safe, nurturing environment where seniors can thrive and families can find peace of mind.
When she’s not working with clients and caregivers, Jessica enjoys spending time with her husband and children, cooking, reading, photography, and searching for shark teeth along the beautiful beaches of Topsail Island. She is also deeply committed to serving her community through local food drives, a medical equipment lending closet, and a monthly dementia caregiver support group.
At the heart of everything Jessica does is a genuine belief that every senior deserves to feel valued, respected, and cared for like family. This commitment guides the culture of New Estuary Home Care and shapes every relationship built along the way.
1
Kim Jones
Registered Nurse
(910)541-1160 ext 4
Kim.Jones@NewEstuaryHomeCare.Com
Kim is a Wilmington native with more than 22 years of experience in the healthcare field. She began her career as a Registered Veterinary Technician, dedicating 16 years to veterinary medicine before graduating in 2020 with her Nursing Degree from CFCC. Since becoming a Registered Nurse, Kim has gained valuable experience in the ICU/ED and hospice care and assisted patients and their families through some of life’s most challenging moments. Kim is excited to continue her career with New Estuary, where she is committed to supporting clients and their families while ensuring they receive high-quality care in the comfort of their own homes. She takes pride in building meaningful relationships, supporting caregivers, and fostering an environment where clients can maintain their independence, dignity, and quality of life. Outside of work, Kim enjoys reading, spending time at the beach, traveling, and watching football, hockey, and Formula 1 racing. She especially enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and her adorable Cornish Rex cat, “Cheddar Bob”.
Rachel Hofmann
Registered Nurse/ NA I Instructor
Rachel is thrilled to be serving and sharing her knowledge within the community she and her family call home. As a Registered Nurse for over 15 years, she is a strong advocate for those she cares for and believes everyone should receive quality care while being treated with compassion and kindness.
Rachel graduated nursing school in 2008 and went on to obtain her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida in 2011. She is passionate about providing education as well as emotional support to our clients and their loved ones. Rachel is proud to be a part of our growing team of true professionals who care immensely about their clients. In addition to supervising the care of our clients, she provides continuing education and training to our staff ensuring they are always ready to provide the care we expect.
Outside of work, Rachel is a military spouse and mom to three small children. She enjoys crafting, traveling and being outdoors with her family.
head shot 3
Lyrissa Boyd
Registered Nurse/ NA I Instructor
Originally from Nevada, Lyrissa grew up in a beautiful valley just below Lake Tahoe.
This sparked her love for the outdoors and gave her a great sense of community. As a child, she developed a passion for healthcare while helping care for her great-grandmother, who lived with her and her family. This led her to pursue a Bachelors in Community Health Science at the University of Nevada, Reno. She held many different roles in healthcare during that time. After graduating from college, she decided to pursue a career in nursing and has been an RN since 2020. She recently completed her MSN-Ed, which has enabled her to share her passion for healthcare and support community healthcare providers who are just entering this calling. Lyrissa has cared for patients ranging from adolescents to the elderly and has held many different nursing roles, including cardiac, medical-surgical, infusion, float pool, and education. Her love for client interaction and improvement is the fuel that keeps her motivated.
In addition to being a nurse, she is a mother of 3 daughters and a military spouse. She enjoys all things outdoors and will do anything if it means she gets to be with her family. She also enjoys helping care for her grandmother and providing respite to her parents, who are her grandmother’s primary caregivers. Lyrissa is a firm believer that with hard work, a dream, and dedication, anything is possible. She uses this mentality to spread kindness, improve care, and spark joy in those around her.
Kimberly Quiroz
Talent Acquisition Specialist
(910)541-1160 ext 2
kimberly@newestuaryhomecare.com
Kim’s journey into healthcare began early in life, spending countless hours by her grandmother’s side, shelling peas on the living room floor and jarring vegetables in the kitchen. Her grandmother’s love and encouragement, including sewing her first pair of scrubs in third grade, left a lasting impact. That deep rooted admiration grew into a calling when she later became one of her grandmother’s caregivers.
Originally from Georgia, Kim began her professional caregiving career in an assisted living facility in 2020 and quickly discovered her passion for working with the elderly. After taking a short break to pursue a certification in Cardiovascular Technology, she became a certified cardiovascular technician.
Now living in the coastal Carolinas thanks to her husband’s service in the Marine Corps, Kim has embraced the charm of the area’s small beach towns. When she’s not working, you can find her relaxing at home with her beloved Dalmatian, Meatball.
IMG_9592
Stacey Canas
Scheduling Manager
(910)541-1160 ext 3
Stacey@newestuaryhomecare.com
Stacey grew up in small town Vermont. After high school, she relocated to Maine to pursue higher education and life near the ocean! Upon graduating from the University of Southern Maine, she began her health care career working at a residential home for aging adults with major mental illness, where she remained for nearly a decade. This was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences someone could ask for! Wanting to explore other options in the mental health field, she became a neurocognitive testing assistant for a small group of psychologists for several years, before transitioning to the role of office manager as the office expanded. She enjoyed providing support for patients and providers alike daily.
After too many years in the cold, Stacey relocated to North Carolina at the end of 2024. When not at work, you will find her out walking at a park, photographing nature, trying new recipes, or spending time making memories with loved ones. Being an auntie brings her true joy! She enjoys volunteering, living organ donor advocacy, listening to live music, and reading a good book on the porch watching the sunset.
Maribel Trujillo
Overnight Triage
(910)541-1160
maribel@newestuaryhomecare.com
Born and raised in Southern California, she found her way into home health care after moving to the area in 2021. What started as a caregiver role quickly turned into a deeper calling, she became a Nurse Aide earlier this year. Her passion for caring for others began long before her professional journey, though. Growing up as the oldest of five in a chaotic home, she stepped into the role of caretaker for her younger siblings. There wasn’t much encouragement to rise above their circumstances, but something in her knew she had to break the cycle.
Those early experiences taught her how to love unconditionally, protect fiercely, and truly see and understand people. That foundation eventually led her to healthcare, where she now channels those same values into every client she cares for.
She often says, “Life didn’t give me lemons, but that’s okay. I grew my own and made lemonade.” That mindset fuels her work today. She’s passionate about being a voice and source of safety for others, which is exactly why she’s proud to be part of the New Estuary team. The collaborative, hands-on approach to client care is what sets this company apart and aligns perfectly with her personal mission to uplift and protect. Outside of work, she’s a go-with-the-flow kind of gal who enjoys playing guitar, drawing, and soaking in all kinds of music, especially rock, funk, and oldies. You’ll often find her at tribute band shows, discovering new coffee shops, or curled up with her pups for a well-earned nap.
Vanessa Jordan
Lead Caregiver
Vanessa Jordan is a dedicated caregiver on New Estuary’s clinical team. After completing high school, in Las Vegas, she joined the Marine Corps, showcasing her commitment to serving others. With a passion for healthcare, Vanessa has been actively involved in the field since 2016, gaining valuable experience along the way. Currently, she is pursuing her aspirations of becoming a respiratory therapist by attending UNCW.
In addition to her professional endeavors, Vanessa is a loving mother to an eight-year-old daughter who brings joy to her life. Their household is further enriched by the presence of three cats and a brand new dog, who recently became a cherished member of their family. Vanessa loves the beach, indulging in a good book, enjoys taking her daughter to the park, and the thrill of shopping.
With her exceptional caregiving skills, Vanessa brings both value and joy to our clients.
What Sets Us Apart
We Offer Continuing Education Classes to our Caregivers.
North Carolina requires all non-medical in-home caregivers to complete annual in-service training on Bloodborne Pathogens and Standard Precautions in the workplace. At New Estuary Home Care, we go beyond these requirements by providing additional education focused on caring for older adults and individuals living with cognitive impairment.
Our caregivers receive specialized training in person-centered care, effective communication, redirection techniques, and positive approaches to supporting clients with memory loss and other cognitive challenges. We are committed to helping our team continuously develop their skills and confidence so they can provide compassionate, professional, and high-quality care to every client.
All educational programs are overseen by our Registered Nurse, ensuring our caregivers receive current, practical, and clinically informed training designed to enhance the care and support provided to your loved ones.
Sophisticated Screening Process to Identify the Best Possible Caregivers.
We are extremely selective in our hiring process. Every caregiver participates in a series of interviews that include clinical questions designed to assess their knowledge and skills, as well as hypothetical scenarios that help us evaluate their judgment, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal qualities. We carefully consider both their responses and their personality before advancing them through the next stages of our hiring process.
While experience is valuable, our primary focus is finding exceptional people with the compassion, integrity, and dedication needed to provide outstanding care. For individuals who demonstrate these qualities, we offer the opportunity to enroll in our state-approved Nurse Aide Training Program, where we teach them the skills necessary to become excellent nurse aides.
Before joining our team, all candidates must successfully complete an extensive screening process, which includes professional reference checks, a national criminal background check thorugh the NC SBI, consent to a 12-panel drug screening, a Department of Motor Vehicles records check, and verification through the North Carolina Health Care Personnel Registry to ensure they are in good standing.
We are Licensed and Insured.
We are e a state-licensed home care agency providing both non-medical home care services and skilled nursing care. Unlike caregiver registries or referral services, all of our caregivers and nurses are W-2 employees of our agency, not independent contractors.
We handle all employer responsibilities, including payroll taxes, workers’ compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, employee screening, training, and supervision. This eliminates the burden and legal responsibilities of being an employer from our clients and their families.
Our clients gain peace of mind knowing that their caregiver has been carefully selected, professionally trained, properly insured, and supported by a licensed home care agency committed to delivering safe, reliable, and compassionate ca
We Treat our Caregivers Like Family.
We believe that when we genuinely care for and support our caregivers, they are empowered to provide the same level of care and support to our clients. That’s why we invest in building a team of exceptional professionals who share our values and commitment to compassionate service.
Our care team is carefully selected for their experience, reliability, professionalism, and heart. They are the reason families trust us and what sets us apart from other providers. We deeply appreciate the meaningful work they do every day and make it a priority to recognize and celebrate their dedication.
At the same time, we take our responsibility seriously. Caring for others is important work, and we hold our team to the highest standards of excellence, professionalism, and accountability. We have high expectations because our clients deserve nothing less than outstanding care.
We Offer Competitive Wages and Advancement
We attract and retain the best caregivers in the industry by providing a positive and supportive management team, offering competitive wages, and treating every employee with the respect they deserve. We know our caregivers are an essential part of our success, which is why we keep them informed about the company’s growth and achievements and ensure they feel valued as integral members of our team.
In addition, we are committed to helping our caregivers advance their careers. We offer a free Nurse Aide Certification program, taught by our experienced Nurse Aide I instructors, providing valuable training and professional development opportunities at no cost to our employees.
Caregiver Spotlight
Each month, we recognize one of our awesome caregivers for their outstanding work.
How Can We Help?
We help with the difficult decisions. If you have a loved one who needs in-home care in the Cape Fear Region, take the first step towards peace of mind and contact New Estuary Home Care today. We provide professional, reliable services from experienced, compassionate caregivers.
