2021 Midwest Region Caregiver of the Year Sheryl Thorstensen

Right at Home is Proud to Announce Sheryl Thorstensen Has Been Chosen as the Midwest Caregiver of the Year!

Read what Sheryl's clients have said about the care she provides:

“Sheryl was always very willing to help and always asked how she could help.” Peter was a Hoyer client and so required transfers. Sheryl would tell Peter that if she did anything he did not like or was not comfortable with that he should tell her because she wanted to be sure he was comfortable with everything she needed to do to help him. Shirlee added that Sheryl was very, very helpful to both she and Peter and Sheryl would help her with things like opening containers that she was unable to open. Sheryl didn’t end a shift until she asked if there was anything else she could do for Peter and Shirlee. Additionally, Shirlee mentioned that she looked forward to having Sheryl come and enjoyed when Sheryl was there with them." - Shirlee, Peter's Wife

Sheryl was critical to our company in training other caregivers who became part of Peter’s care team. We would not add another caregiver to his care team until they spent time with Sheryl on shift. We knew once that happened, we had a caregiver fully equipped to understand Peter’s needs and his routine.

"Larry liked Sheryl the best out of all his caregivers! Ramona said she could not have gotten through the last few days before Larry passed without Sheryl’s help. While Ramona was at the nursing home helping to transport Larry back home, Sheryl was at their home setting up the bed and the Hoyer and other needed equipment prior to Larry coming back home. She and the transport bus driver together got Larry back into the home and with the Hoyer Sheryl transferred Larry to his bed so he could be home when he passed. Ramona said Sheryl just always seemed to know what to do and what was needed. Ramona added that had it not been for Sheryl with the support of this other caregivers, Larry would have spent the last part of his life in a nursing home as Ramona could not physically provide the care that Larry needed. Knowing that end of life was soon, Larry wanted to be at home when he died, and Sheryl cared for him at home until he died. Ramona said she and Sheryl remain close and in touch, even after Larry’s passing, a year and a half ago." - Ramona, Larry's Wife

“My father, Henry, took a fall about 5 years ago, and his upper leg had what is called, Compartmental disease. It had to be surgically cut open about the size of a football. The healing took almost a year. Sheryl was hired to be his home health gal, to help him with daily needs, and such. She was absolutely FANTASTIC, working on the healing process. She has such a caring and professional and friendly personality. She was so very helpful to our family, in soooo many ways. She goes above and beyond the call of duty. She has truly become a great friend to my dad, and to me, as well. She deserves recognition for her exemplary personality. If I could give her the world, I certainly would. Thank you for all you are.” - Heidi, Henry's Daughter

Read what Right at Home's Office Staff say about Sheryl:

“Sheryl Thorstensen started with Right at Home in June of 2018 about 2 weeks before I started in the office. During this time I have really gotten to know Sheryl professionally and personally. Sheryl is by far one of the best caregivers I have seen at Right at Home since accepting the Human Resource Manager position. She truly cares for all of her clients and wants them to have the best care possible. Sheryl is not one to leave a client when the cares or behaviors of a client become a little much. She understands dementia and how it effects clients’ brains. You can see this by the way she approaches more personal situations like showering or in the evening when clients start to sundown. Attention to detail is also very important when Sheryl is providing cares to clients. She calls after every shift with change in conditions or concerns for clients. Sheryl’s attention to her client’s behaviors and her knowledge of the VA system from serving in the Air Force helped one client get the proper care/diagnosis. This client had been wrongly diagnosed and medicated years ago which caused the client to hallucinate. From her updates about her clients, her amazing care, and our clients’ families raving about her are all reasons I feel she is so remarkable. Sheryl also not only wants the clients to succeed and be comfortable she is also always rooting for the other caregivers’ success. She is always giving positive feedback about the caregivers she trains. Sheryl wants to train and ensure every caregiver at a new client is comfortable and able to succeed. She had made an entire photoshoot of step by step directions on how to use a Hoyer and provide catheter care and posted them for caregivers to reference in the client’s home. When we mentioned to Sheryl that she was being nominated for Caregiver of the Year Sheryl said we should nominate Char, another caregiver, since she believes Char is an amazing caregiver (we nominated both). This is an excellent example that shows how Sheryl is selfless and just wanting to make others happy. Sheryl has also named herself our Chief Morale Officer. She brings in pizza and chips when there is a busy week in the office. She brings tiny books and jokes for good laughs and is also just there to talk with and be supportive. Not only does Sheryl help us by picking up extra shifts, she also works a second job at a pharmacy where she hands out Right at Home pens. In addition, Sheryl is a single mom. Sheryl is the closest thing I have met to a super hero in my whole life. Her strength to get up and out of bed and go be such a positive light in so many lives is just amazing, and I think she deserves Caregiver of the Year for all her hard work and dedication!” - Hayley Engen, Human Resources Manager

“When I think of interacting with Sheryl I always get a smile on my face. Her humor brightens up my day so I can only imagine how she must brighten up the day of her clients on a consistent basis. Sheryl’s wit is just another way she shows how much she cares. She uses it to put clients at ease as well as bond with them. The number of times I have called upon her for last minute shifts or help has been countless and she always responds. She’s known in the office to be someone who we can rely on when in a bind. However it is more than that. She will go to fast start a new client, train caregivers on more personal cares, and come to the office as our personal morale officer! She has a badge and everything! I would say Sheryl’s specialty is breaking down that barrier clients may have about feeling uneasy on receiving personal cares. Our Right at Home is privileged to have someone like Sheryl representing us. Our office, our clients, and her fellow caregivers have backed this sentiment.” - Candice Schmunk, Marketing Coordinator

“We are most fortunate to have multiple caregivers that are deserving of the Caregiver of the Year award. When I think of Sheryl though I think of someone who sincerely wants to make another person’s day and quite frankly overall life better. There is literally a glow that comes from her when she is in anyway involved with improving another person’s world. Sheryl has this amazing smile and ability to put anyone at ease. She is not challenged by any care situation. She is more than willing to take on the most complex care plan, regardless of physical and/or personality situations that require the highest level of effort. Sheryl not only has a natural awareness of how a client and/or family is feeling she also regularly checks in with our office support staff, including me, to make sure we are doing ok. Her universe is all humans around her and if that universe is in any way struggling, Sheryl senses it and works to mend it. It is the most unusual, high-level of awareness of others I have seen, and I am thankful to be a part of that universe!” - Shelley Reed, Owner