2020 National Caregiver of the Year

Right at Home Hilton Head is proud to announce that Kimberly Speaks is the 2020 National Caregiver of the Year!

Each year, Right at Home offices from across the country nominated deserving caregivers for the National Caregiver of the Year award. Caregivers are selected by an independent group of professionals in the healthcare industry based on the following criteria: character, client impact, brand ambassadorship, team spirit and professional development. For 2020, Right at Home Hilton Head's own Kimberly Speaks was recognized as the National Caregiver of the Year.

When Kimberly started working with our office in 2012, she had no experience as a caregiver. She was willing to learn and attended in-services and trainings and filled her toolbox with skills and best practices and grew into the professional we know her as today. She is always eager to learn and if she is unable to attend a training she would ask for the materials to be sent to her for self study. When an opportunity to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) arose, Kimberly enrolled in the Technical College of the Low Country CNA program and successfully completed her classes and testing. Kimberly is now a South Carolina CNA.

Kimberly has worked for a single client, full time, for over two years and is essentially part of the family. The client's family allows her to run the show because she has earned their trust by showing up when scheduled, coming to their aid when in crisis and knowing her client's needs and fulfilling them each and every shift.

Kimberly is a true team player. She arrives on time because she knows how important it is for the other caregivers on the team to clock out and get back to their own families. She is the lead caregiver for a client and trains any new caregivers added to care for the client.

Here's some of the praise for Kimberly from clients and office staff:

"It is a struggle to write this letter and not be tearful, as Kim has literally saved my life. By providing superb care not only for my mother, Delores, but also for my father, I am able to sleep at night in my Maryland home, 539 miles away." - Client

"Kim has remained committed and dedicated to fulfilling the needs of my Mom. She also provides great support to my Dad who is often weary from caring for his wife. Kim helps to keep my Dad on track and focused on the good times he and my Mom share." - Client

"Kim is very responsible and can be trusted in my home when I am away doing errands and going to medical appointments. She takes very good care of my wife for me. I can depend on her. This helps me to take the breaks I need each week." - Client

"(Kimberly) has been working for Right at Home for several years and is a perfect example of what everyone desires in a caregiver. She is timely, dependable, compassionate and very hard working. Kimberly is also friendly, intuitive and experienced in various areas of caregiving." - Neil, Director of Community Relations