Care Professional Awards & Recognition

Brenda R. - December 2022 Caregiver of the Month

If caring, capable & outstanding had to be summed up in one word, that word would be Brenda. Since she joined Home Instead in 2016, Brenda has improved the day to day lives of each client she has worked with. In addition to her great caregiving skills, Brenda’s engaging personality is obvious from the moment you meet her. Brenda goes above and beyond in making sure office staff and fellow Care Pros are kept up to date on any client needs or changes in condition. She takes note of client interests and hobbies and is quick to educate the rest of the team on these, even taking the time at shift change to show her fellow Care Professionals how to play one of her current client’s games of choice, Connect 4, so he can enjoy the fun even when she isn’t there. Each day Brenda continues to share her heart and we couldn’t be any prouder than we are to have her on our team.

Terri - February 2022 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Terri! Although Terri is still fairly new to Home Instead, she just gets it, all of it, and she’s such a pleasure to work with. Terri can see and manage all of the complicated points of view involved in this kind of work: the client’s, the family’s, the office’s, and her own. She has been impressive since day one. Terri has about 20 years of experience as a CNA in hospital and residence settings so her caregiving skills are accomplished. What she also brings to the table is keen emotional intelligence, effective communication, great organization, and notable dependability. With all of this as a foundation, Terri can work with any client. When dealing with difficult behaviors or resistance to a task, Terri is adept at switching strategies to try to deliver the best care possible given the challenges. She remains calm and resolute throughout those challenges, and communicates promptly with the office regarding concerns for or changes in her clients. She has been wonderful with all the clients she has worked with, whether they are her regulars or the frequent fill-ins she helps out with. In her unique way, Terri enhances the lives of those she cares for, and it’s a beautiful gift.

Marjorie - December 2021 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Marjorie! Marjorie is at her one year anniversary with us, and she sure has been steady during that time. She started shifts right after orientation with one client, and then shortly after added her second client - one in the morning, and one in the afternoon. Her first client eventually moved into an assisted living. She was a dementia client with a laughing, lovely demeanor, but she was very active. It must have been a very busy shift for Marjorie, because this lady was always moving about and needed close, constant supervision. Her second client is on palliative care at home, and she also has many needs as a dementia patient, stroke survivor, and someone who has dealt with a lot of pain after a hip fracture and hip replacement. Marjorie has gotten many compliments from the VNA nurses who visit to check on the client. They say that because of her care, the client’s skin is in great shape, which they wouldn’t expect, given how much time she spends sitting and lying down. In addition to the morning bathing routine, Marjorie also helps with meals and household maintenance. She gets a lot done in a short time there, and it makes all the difference to the client and the family household.

Carline - October 2021 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Carline! Carline was also named CAREGiver of the Month two years ago in November 2019, but we thought it was time to honor her again. She has been so steady and strong through all this time – when you look at how consistent Carline’s schedule has been, you’d never know there was a pandemic going on. Her main client, who she started with all the way back in 2018, is a man who must have care from morning to night, every day. As a result of a stroke years ago, he is a two-person assist for transfers and other ADLs, and he lives alone. He has a complicated schedule to ensure that there are two CAREGivers there for the critical ADL times. Carline’s five days with him are the backbone of his weekday schedule – nobody has been with him longer. She makes sure the other CAREGivers know how to care for him properly. She understands his needs and communicates well with him, which is something that takes patience and care because of the effects of the stroke. Carline is always on time, even when she takes public transportation to her shifts. She also has two other regular clients, ladies with dementia who also must have consistent care. Carline has been flexible about filling in with all her clients during this time when scheduling has been difficult. What stands out loud and clear is how much Carline cares, and how well she supports her clients and her co-workers – it’s a sure sign of leadership guided by a big heart!

Pat - August 2021 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Pat! Friday is normally a day off for Pat, but every Friday for the past month, Pat has stepped up for one or even two fill-in shifts. What a help she has been when we’ve needed it most! As it is, Pat is already busy Monday - Thursday with her two long-time regular clients. They are both ladies who are fall risks and require close and careful monitoring. Pat is up to the task. Some years ago, Pat retired from a career as a typesetter and moved on to a successful career in retail. But she didn’t stop there. As a lifelong learner, Pat then began the new career of caregiving, and moved beyond providing companionship and home helper care by getting her CNA license. Her current two clients both have loyal family members who are particular about their care, and especially during the pandemic, would only allow a trusted few people to come into their loved ones’ homes. Pat has been one of those trusted people for both ladies, providing important continuity, safely. As a fill-in for other clients, Pat’s calm and kind demeanor is always an asset, and makes her a caregiver that people request again and again.

Brenda, Catarina, Prettina - June 2021 CAREGiver of the Month

This month’s CAREGiver of the Month is not an individual, but rather a team of dedicated and skilled CAREGivers. Our CAREGivers of the Month are Brenda, Catarina, and Prettina! Not only do they share their passion for caregiving, but they also share a common client, Mary.

Mary has been a client of Home Instead for almost five years and has been blessed with many wonderful CAREGivers who would help her out a few hours each day. One of these CAREGivers, Brenda, has been with Mary since 2017 and is surely a favorite. As Mary’s needs increased, her family sought additional services to help them keep her safe at home. Brenda quickly went from 3 hour shifts to 8 and 12 hour shifts per day. She has been more than understanding with the family’s ever-changing schedule, and to say she has been accommodating would be an understatement. If you have met Brenda then you probably know that not only is she competent and seemingly very confident, but she also possesses wonderful leadership skills. She is a take charge kind of woman who is not afraid to speak up when she needs to but also smart enough to know when it is best not to. Brenda is someone who would be a hit with any client with any level of care needs and we consider ourselves fortunate to have her on our Home Instead team. Due to her dedication to her clients, this is not Brenda’s first CAREGiver of the Month recognition, and we are sure it will not be her last!

Being newer to Home Instead and to shifts with Mary does not lessen the impact CAREGiver Catarina has made. Catarina started with us in 2021 and quickly became one of our “go to” CAREGivers when it came to filling shifts. Like Brenda, Catarina exudes a confidence & willingness that seems to endear her to our clients. Catarina has worked with several clients regularly since her hire and one of them even told us they do not want anyone except Catarina! Catarina began her career helping people as a Home Health Aid and enjoyed helping people so much that she decided to pursue her CNA license. Catarina displays a calm and caring persona and a willingness to help. While knowing that Mary’s family is juggling her care between family and Home Instead, Catarina also has been extremely understanding when it comes to last minute schedule changes. In the short time Catarina has been with us she has provided care to over 15 clients and all have raved about her.

Prettina, who has been with Home Instead for almost 6 years and helped over 40 clients, was the last of the three to join Mary’s team of CAREGivers. With her past clients Prettina was always someone they would look forward to seeing. She is compassionate, reassuring and engaging. Prettina has come on to Mary’s team as an overnight CAREGiver and, like the others, has also been understanding when told of schedule changes with little notice. Prettina has also been a previous CAREGiver of the Month and for good reason. She has filled in for us at times when she probably preferred not to, she has always given the office wonderful updates on her clients and has remained a welcome CAREGiver with some very difficult clients or client families.

Besides their passion for helping others and their love of family, these three hard-working, wonderful ladies have many traits in common – dedication, loyalty, and compassion are just a few, and it is a blessing to have them working with us.

Karen - April 2021 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Karen! For 5 years, Karen has been a mainstay in the lives of her clients. She came to Home Instead with 10 years of caregiving experience, and her know-how has only continued to grow. Karen will usually have one or two clients at a time, get into a groove with a regular schedule, and the next thing you know a whole year or more has gone by. She is as dedicated to her clients as they are to her – they usually say, “No substitutions, please!” As an independent, active person herself, Karen tries to maintain a client’s sense of independence and meaningful activity, even as she helps them with the basics of their lives. Her focus is on giving them quality time and making their daily lives better. Family members consider her a partner in their care plans. Karen helps her current client 5 days a week. He has dementia and can’t use his right arm. She started with him a year ago, right at the beginning of the COVID crisis, when his wife was recovering from a stroke and could no longer manage his daily care while she worked to get better herself. Karen was one of several CAREGivers there, but after a couple of months the family preferred for her to cover all of the shifts because she worked so well with him. And that’s how another year has passed – with Karen providing kind, dependable, flexible care that makes the whole family function better!

Jenny - February 2021 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Jenny! Jenny is one of our quiet shining stars. She doesn’t need to check in with us very often, and her clients feel the warmth of her steady care like a radiant light. When Jenny started with us in the fall of 2018, she had a first client who was not in a good place. Her husband’s health was declining rapidly, and they weren’t going to be able to continue at home without considerable help. Jenny was conscientious about alerting the office to her concerns, and in the end when the husband moved to a hospice home, the wife’s family chose a facility for her and Jenny helped her client with the move. It was a short assignment, but it showed us Jenny’s strengths as a kind, compassionate, skilled professional. Since then, Jenny has cared for the same two clients until today. One of her clients is a woman who can have trouble with time management, and quite a few CAREGivers were not able to tolerate this quality. Jenny has been able to approach her with patience and gentleness, and she efficiently gets through all the tasks that are needed with no problems. Her other client is a man who lives alone with some help from a niece and nephew. He ended up hospitalized before starting service with us, and Jenny’s care helps him stay safe and well at home. He likes things done a certain way, and Jenny quickly learned to do them perfectly. He was inspired to try to learn about Peru since that is where Jenny is from. When the niece had a lot to worry about with her family, she asked if Jenny could add another shift each week, and Jenny worked it in despite a tight schedule. When Jenny says she loves to help people, all you have to do is look at her work, and that’s exactly what you will see.

Pam - October 2020 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Pam! Our heads spin when we think of the gifts that Pam has brought Home Instead Norwood in nine short months. Last February, Pam became a CAREGiver at the same time as she took on weekend on-call responsibilities. Before she even completed her on-call training, she was filling shifts here, there, and everywhere. Now Pam is also helping out in the office with schedule coordination. In all these roles, she is a force of goodness, care, and compassion.

Pam has an accomplished background in teaching and global banking. The leadership and communication skills she developed in her career are phenomenal and are helping us every day. Pam’s willingness to cover shifts – even when they are last minute overnights or at the crack of dawn – has been a lifeline, especially during these complicated coronavirus times. A client in an assisted living facility was a terror for many reasons – she would spit on our CAREGivers, pinch them and call them nasty names. But she would hold Pam’s hand and call her sweet names in her native German. Pam probably remembers all the German words – she also has a mastery of several languages, with fluency in Spanish and French, and a decent knowledge of Italian from her family heritage. Or maybe indecent knowledge, since her father taught her all the swear words! She filled in at clients who are an Italian-American couple, and they loved her so much they said she should come live with them.

Whenever Pam works with a client, in her detail-oriented way, she collects the most important information about them, and passes it on to the office and to the other CAREGivers who will be working with them. She makes sure her clients never feel like they are a burden. Her caregiving skill set has expanded rapidly as she learns from hands-on experience, and with guidance from other CAREGivers, about hospice care, bed baths, and whatever else she encounters. No wonder all our clients feel safe with Pam and comforted by her competence and reassuring presence.

Monica - August 2020 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Monica! In her 15 months with Home Instead Norwood, we’ve been impressed by just how well Monica cares for people. When she was younger, Monica would visit her grandmother in a nursing home and help her, brushing her hair, doing her nails, and helping her with meals. She later volunteered in a shelter, helping residents with many of the same tasks. Then she got her CNA and began helping people professionally. Her first client with us was a 24/7 client on hospice, and Monica was one of the trusted CAREGivers who helped this client and her family through that difficult time until the client passed. Monica did a great job keeping our office up to date about her client’s condition and needs. More recently, Monica has been working with a variety of clients, including two different couples. She probably does well with couples because she is a calm, quiet presence who doesn’t try to interfere in their relationships. She doesn’t push people, she just helps them along in her patient and kind way. It also goes a long way for the office that Monica is so reliable and on time to her shifts – and for her clients that Monica is a great cook!

Stephanie - June 2020 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Stephanie!

Always happy, bubbly and energetic, Stephanie is a whirlwind of a CAREGiver! She is always on the go, between her many clients, her nursing studies, and her family and community activities. She’s been with us for just over 1 ½ years and has helped so many clients in that time. Just last week, Stephanie started with a new client, and they have already asked for her to fill every shift that she can do. That’s not the first time we’ve had that request. Stephanie is great at working with couples because she can manage so many things at one time. Whether it’s her HHA work with us or her activities outside of work, Stephanie is always helping people and is always a great team player. She’s also a great communicator and is fluent in English, French, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. She’s even trained and worked as a medical interpreter. Stephanie also plays volleyball, teaches in her church, and does the shopping for her grandmother, especially during COVID-19. Caring for people, keeping people safe, encouraging them through good days and bad days – that’s what Stephanie does so well.

Sarah - April 2020 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Sarah! Sarah is a CNA who started with Home Instead Norwood a year ago. She went straight from her orientation to an introduction with her new client, and her first shift with him was the next night. From that night on, Sarah was his CAREGiver for four overnights a week until he recently went into the hospital, and sadly passed away. It was a loss that hit her hard – Sarah cares for her clients as if they are family. She is a communicator and a bridge builder. In the past, Sarah worked as a community officer for the American Red Cross, making connections between the community and the organization. She has also worked with people with mental health and substance abuse issues, and she has cared for seniors in homes, hospitals and rehabs. Sarah also helps others celebrate the most important days in their lives by doing the decorations for weddings and parties at her church. She is now helping us with new clients who need lots of care to stay at home, but whose families are trying to keep them home, safe from COVID-19 outbreaks in facilities.

Vanessa - February 2020 CAREGiver of the Month

Our CAREGiver of the Month is Vanessa! It’s been a year and a half since Vanessa joined our team. It took a little while to find her the right shifts for her busy life. Vanessa is an Operating Room Assistant at a Boston hospital and is pursuing nursing school classes. Once we found her overnights that worked with her schedule, she was with that client until he passed away about a year later. Vanessa is someone you can count on, as you can imagine in someone trusted to prepare the patient and the OR for surgery. She is meticulous and organized. Vanessa knew from her teens when she cared for her very ill grandmother that she wanted to be a professional caregiver. She loves helping others, and others love her outgoing, energetic, caring ways.