As Soon as Young Kelli Could Walk, She Became a Caregiver
When Home Instead® CAREGiver of the Month Kelli Witt was asked how old she was when she first lent a hand as a family caregiver, she chuckled and said, “As soon as I started walking, could carry things and understand what my grandmother needed for my aunt.”
In fact, when young Kelli had barely started walking, she might have thought the first three words of her name were “Go Grab This” or “Go Grab That.” That’s how Kelli often was addressed by her dear grandmother, a compassionate and highly organized traffic-cop type of family caregiver who was taking care of Kelli as well as her aunt, who had been totally disabled in a horrific car accident.
“When I could get up and walk, I was helping Grandma with my aunt, for whom I was named,” Kelli said. “My 55-year-old aunt is still living and has her own around-the-clock care. My aunt will tell anyone I am her namesake and her helper from way back. We are very close.”
Later, Kelli took care of her grandmother and her father, who suffered a stroke and a brain bleed. “I am still helping him as much as I can,” Kelli said. “Grandma died six years ago. She practically raised me. After I had gone into professional caregiving and had become a CNA, I could see Grandma had dementia long before any other family member knew or admitted. I tried to get help, but you must have a unified front on issues like this. Of course, there is denial. That is common.”
When properly addressing Kelli’s unique family caregiving story, the stage must be set for the startling event that took place 13 months before she was born. “My mother and aunt survived the severe accident that involved five other people. They were in a Crown Victoria that collided with a utility pole. My aunt got the worst of the accident because she was on the side of the car that impacted the utility pole,” Kelli explained.
“My aunt and my mother spent four months each in a coma in a hospital. The doctors told my mother she’d never be able to have children, but I came along a year and a month after the accident. My grandmother took care of them. Later, after I was old enough, I was helping my grandmother with my aunt’s care every day and in every way.”
It’s easy to see why Kelli went into professional caregiving. “I’ve been doing this my whole life.
I’ve been working as a paid caregiver for the past 20 years. I was a CNA a long time ago. I worked in assisted living,” said Kelli, who saw a Home Instead ad on Facebook and joined the award-winning Clawson franchise Sept. 26, 2019.
Kelli loves working for her Home Instead franchise, which is owned by Bert and Stephanie Copple. Kelli said, “Home Instead has perfectly paired me with every client. I could not be happier. Matches like the ones Home Instead provided have made my job a lot easier.”
Sadly, one of Kelli’s first clients died recently. “In my mind, his death was expected because of what he faced. I admired his determination to live. He deserves so much credit for pushing along,” said Kelli, whose client was assisted by a seven-person 24/7 Home Instead CAREGiver team.
“With the seven of us CAREGivers, he received the best care of anyone I’ve seen. We all pulled together for him. We are all friends. At his funeral luncheon, those of us who served as his CAREGivers stood up and were introduced. We were thanked at all levels. I was pleased when Home Instead recognized how much the situation meant to me and gave me the day off to go to the services. I can’t wait to see him again. He had a strong faith, and I also have a faith. I still miss him day in and day out. He could make me feel like a million bucks. I’d do anything to make him smile.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (248) 203-2273 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
