The October CAREGiver of the Month at Home Instead® of Martinsburg chuckled softly when she was asked if she had dreamed of being in caregiving when she was a young girl. Deanna Swecker replied: “Honestly, I never thought I would be in this line of work.”
Before Deanna joined the award-winning Home Instead franchise that serves West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle in August 2018, she did not have any professional senior-care experience. But Deanna knew she had had enough of the retail business management with its long hours and multiple responsibilities.
“I was looking forward to doing something different. In my most recent job, I had worked as a store manager, and I am a single mother with three children. I had to walk away from that job because my family is more important,” Deanna said. “A friend of mine had heard about Home Instead from one of her friends, and that’s how I found out about Home Instead.”
By working for Home Instead, Deanna tapped into her compassion, and she found it was enjoyable. While she received Home Instead’s training, her wisdom and common sense also guided her to successful outcomes as a CAREGiver. But Deanna wanted to put a limit on overextending her emotions because she could sense burnout was possible. “I knew the hard part of the job is trying not to get too attached to the clients. But they take your heart, and it’s hard to keep them at arm’s length emotionally. I thought, ‘Well, you’ve just got to be as strong as possible in this line of work.’ But that is a challenge sometimes,” Deanna admitted.
For example, she said, “One of my clients went on hospice six months after I started with him. I previously had told myself I did not want to be involved with hospice care, but when he held my hand and asked me to stay with him until the end, I knew I could not leave him. So, I was with him at the end. I also had a treasured woman client who died. Just knowing how much happier those two clients were with my one-on-one care, that motivated me. They both had quite an impact on me, and so did their very nice families.”
In addition to the fulfillment of assisting clients, working for Home Instead has had other advantages. “I love my schedule with Home Instead, which is flexible for the majority of the time. I’ve worked days, nights and split shifts. Sometimes night shifts have worked out best for me and my family. When I first started, my son had medical issues, and I had to take off a lot of time during the day. It was great to work at night. There aren’t many employers who will work with you on those issues. The schedulers do the best they can,” she said.
Because Deanna knows all the West Virginia highways and byways around Shannondale, Charles Town, Harpers Ferry and the Shenandoah River, she is a favorite of her 24/7 client. “He loves to go on car rides, I had lived in his area near Charles Town and know all of the back roads and scenic areas. He likes to ride by the river, see the historic Harpers Ferry buildings and take in the sights at a horse farm that is owned by some of my friends. He often tells me: ‘You know all of the great sights I like,’ ” Deanna said.
Deanna said: “He treats me like a best friend. He’s excited when I get there. He’s ready to go out, and I am someone who gives him attention. Many seniors crave the chance just to talk and interact with someone. He is comfortable with me, and I make his day.”
The 77-year-old client’s dementia is slowly worsening. He struggles with decisions, and it can be hard for him to decide on meal options, but Deanna knows what he likes. She also reads the CAREGiver journal to prepare something different for variety. “The client is good with a routine. Take him out of his routine, and you run into trouble. Many seniors don’t handle change very well,” Deanna said.
“There are a lot of little nuances to learn about the client. Regular CAREGivers from our 24/7 team know the tricks to caring for him. We have a good group of CAREGivers who regularly cover the client. Savanna Kauffman, one of our franchise’s CAREGivers of the Year, is on my team. We get along well, and she looks out for me. Newer CAREGivers need field training because each client is so different. We try to take a team approach because it is needed.”
Nina Eastham, supervisor of Home Instead’s Martinsburg office, said: “Deanna gives 100 percent of her heart. With her current client, Deanna has helped get him into a routine and structured life. She brings in her paperwork on time and reports anything of importance. She is reliable, dependable and a straight-to-the-point type of CAREGiver. She makes our job easier in the office. We are happy to have her as part of our Home Instead family.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (304) 263-4472 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
