Caregiver Spotlight

During her three years with Right at Home, Sheila has been no less than awesome at every turn. She has demonstrated kindness and commitment and is one of the happiest people I know. No matter how difficult a day she has had or how tough a client situation is, we can always count on Sheila to smile, shrug her shoulders and press forward. Her clients absolutely adore her and she does not have enough hours in the day to meet client demand for her.

Sheila has created opportunity for one of her clients to be ambulatory in his own home and to feel an increased level of independence. Without her help he would be completely bed-bound. She also brightened Vietnam Veteran Bobby's life by spending just a few hours each week with him. We had a terrible time finding someone to work with Bobby because he was a heavy smoker, but Sheila was willing to do it. She was his only outside contact and due to her love and kindness Bobby was able to move through his depression, overhaul his living situation, and begin to take positive steps toward managing his poor health and PTSD.

It's impossible to be in a room with Sheila and not catch her enthusiasm for making a difference. She is always positive, frequently refers potential caregivers, and talks to anyone and everyone about what she does and who she works for. We never have to worry about being embarrassed by Sheila's representation of our brand and reputation. We have received calls and letters praising Sheila's interactions with clients and the work she does.

We almost don't even have to ask Sheila for help! She volunteers to support clients and special situations readily and has frequently rearranged personal events in order to help with an urgent need. The office team never has a negative encounter with Sheila, and she is constantly communicating with us about clients and their needs.

Rosemary is among our most dedicated and effective caregivers. She came to us with a desire to serve and care for others, and to give back to the generation ahead of her. She has always acted in a spirit of selfless service and complete commitment to improving the quality of her clients' lives. Rosemary's husband has been deployed on active duty military assignments during much of her two-plus years of service as a Right at Home caregiver. She has never faltered in her commitment to clients while meeting the needs of her four young children. Rosemary is high in emotional intelligence and maturity, and possesses a spirit of compassion, kindness, and love for people.

One client's dementia has been slowly worsening for the past several years to the point where her husband could never feel comfortable leaving her alone. He began to miss out on many of the simple pleasures of life he used to enjoy, and was unable to motivate his wife to engage in activities herself.

Rosemary immediately developed a bond with this client and successfully encouraged her to go on walks, go to the community center for activities, and engage in stimulating conversation. Her husband describes how his life has been changed seeing her engage more fully, and knowing that she is safe when he meets friends for coffee or goes shopping.

Another client is in his early seventies with a mental age of 12. Rosemary has completely changed his life by helping him make good food choices, ensuring he manages health conditions, and ensuring his safety. Rosemary is the lead caregiver for this clients team and coordinates all care for him and his elderly stepfather. They could not live on their own without her.

Rosemary is active in the community and represents Right at Home with pride and professionalism. She frequently shares her experiences with others and has referred many friends to apply as caregivers. When they hear Rosemary describe her work with such enthusiasm they are immediately impressed and want the same type of experience themselves.

Rosemary has been incredible as a lead caregiver supporting others on a care team for complex client situations. She has been constant and solid and someone we can always count on to be where she is needed and to do the right thing for her clients. She communicates with the office staff and collaborates regarding client care plans. We can always count on Rosemary to step up when we need to cover last minute shifts or extend her time with a client due to special circumstances or a change in condition requiring additional support. The care management and scheduling teams constantly sing her praises and insist on recognizing Rosemary at every opportunity.

Christy is among the most kind and compassionate caregivers on our team. She has worked with multiple clients, each of whom credit Christy for making their independence possible. Christy doesn't just show up and check off tasks on a list; she invests her time, her energy, and herself in truly understanding each client's unique challenges and then sets out to proactively implement solutions. Christy is fully committed to the long-term goals of her clients and to the daily milestones that lead them to achieving their goals. Christy has an uncanny ability to help people feel good about themselves and maintain a positive outlook on their future, even in the most difficult of circumstances. She never judges or criticizes her clients or co-workers, but rather offers her own strengths to compensate for their weaknesses and shortcomings.

One of our clients fell from a ladder at the age of 62 and his life immediately changed forever. Christy has enabled his physical and emotional adjustment to becoming a quadriplegic. She has also been the primary support for his wife who had a very challenging time adjusting. If you ask him how he is doing he always responds, "Life Sucks!" and then the harsh tone fades and the tears form in his eyes as he describes how Christy has changed his and his wife's life.

Another client that Christy works with suffers from advancing Huntington's Disease. She would refuse to answer the door for caregivers. Family tirelessly encouraged her to care for herself, but to no avail. Then Christy entered the picture and completely changed her life. This client describes Christy as her "best friend" and enjoys nothing more than their time together. Christy has helped her eat healthy foods, care for herself, and remain safe despite the progression of her disease. Christy is the single most powerful influence for good in her life.

Christy has been a phenomenal ambassador for the Right at Home brand in our community. As she has worked with her clients, she has always proudly worn her Right at Home uniform and name tag. Because she is so frequently and prominently present in one of the large senior communities we serve, we have received numerous new client inquiries from people who have met Christy and "wonder if she might be able to help them too." Christy has also created a wonderful pathway for us to develop strong partnerships with key decision-makers at the community and with several geriatric physicians and a major hospital. They all know her and think highly of Right at Home as an outcome of their interaction with Christy and the huge difference they have seen in the lives of her clients over the many months she has been working with them. Christy has also been vocal in sharing with others about her positive experience as an employee, which has generated caregiver candidate applications as well.

Every interaction Christy has had with any member of the office team has been positive and uplifting; she always seems happy and leaves others feeling that way too. Christy is never critical of others or negative about her caregiving assignments, even when they are very difficult. She communicates clearly, always follows-up on questions or tasks, and has demonstrated sound judgment while making decisions independently. Rather than simply leave things undone and go home at the end of her shift, if there is something critical that needs to be handled, Christy will seek support from the office to ensure clients' needs are met. Christy has never had a "no-show" or unexcused absence and has treated her caregiver role with professionalism. She is the Care Team Leader for two high profile clients and has frequently put the needs of her clients ahead of herself when other team members have not been able or willing to provide what is needed.

Ken is among the most kind and compassionate people I have ever known; he puts the needs of others before himself in every situation. Beyond his professional caregiving duties with Right at Home, Ken, himself a former Special Olympics competitor several times over, now trains other athletes to compete and serves as an "Athlete for Outreach," speaking at public events, meeting with leaders of organizations, and fundraising. Ken also volunteers through Civitan to support research to develop a cure for neurological disabilities, such as the seizure and learning disorders he himself has dealt with his entire life.

Ken has also done extensive work with the Tucson Residence Foundation for the past several years. In this role, Ken cared for a gentleman who had severe developmental disabilities. He lived with Ken and received daily life coaching and support from Ken.

Ken recently saved a client's life by performing CPR when the client collapsed suddenly while showering.

He has been a positive force in the life of each client he has worked with over the past four and a half years as a Right at Home caregiver and has been of special value in caring for several of our Military Veterans. These men have embraced Ken as their caregiver as he has demonstrated respect for them and ensured their personal dignity while providing substantial hands-on personal care. Ken has also served several clients on hospice care, providing additional care to the individuals and compassionate support to family members. Ken also has a gift for working with people afflicted with dementia, seeming to naturally understand their situation and be able to provide individualized care that meets their important needs. We have received numerous calls about Ken's commitment and focus on serving in the specific ways they have needed. Many of our clients refuse to have anyone but Ken and will rearrange their schedules in order to align with Ken's availability.

Ken participates in every Right at Home event. Whether a mandatory training, or a fun day at the park for caregivers and their families. He has referred numerous potential caregivers and clients, and is always talking to others about the work he does and the impact it has on other people. Ken is the embodiment of RightCare! He loves his work, and strives for excellence on a daily basis. He constantly communicates with the office concerning client updates, his schedule, and company policies and procedures. Ken wears his Right at Home uniform and name tag with pride every day. He is the first to comply with procedural requests and new or modified company policies. We get to see Ken several times each week when he stops by to say hello, provide client updates, respond in person to an email he received, or to bring a small item to express his gratitude for the work of office team members. Ken participates in every Right at Home event and has referred numerous caregivers and clients!

I remember Ken calling off for a shift was about three years ago—a rare happening. He called to say that he was at that very moment having a heart attack and was about to leave for the emergency room but wanted to let us know first so that his client would not go without receiving care that day. This is the spirit of "others first" Ken demonstrates in everything he does.

Ken is the first to complete any required training, and report back that he has done so. He also has sought out additional 1:1 training from our RightCare manager and RN specific to particular clients so he can better meet their needs. Ken also seeks out additional training through the Tucson Residence Foundation, Blake Foundation, and Special Olympics to ensure his skills and approach to caring for others are up to date. Ken always receives constructive feedback and direction pleasantly, and strives to implement new ideas immediately.