Honoree Valerie: August Caregiver of the Month

Assisting Hands Rockford is proud to honor Valerie (Val) our August caregiver of the month. Val comes to us with an abundance of credentials, which are so impressive.  She works hard at everything she does and goes above and beyond whenever she can.  Val works full-time at a hospital in McHenry as a Patient Care Technician.  Her credentials include:

BLS

Stroke

EKG/Cardio

Phlebotomy

CMT (Certified Medication Technician)

Narcan Certification

Certification for Covid

Ordained Minister for After Life Care

Aside from all her medical experience, Val has demonstrated that she is one of the most dependable and caring people I have ever met. When she talks about her client, that she provides non-medical assistance for, she talks about her as if she was her own grandmother. She constantly laughs and smiles as she tells me story after story about their conversations and adventures – it truly is so heartfelt to hear.

Val goes above and beyond to help her client keep her house tidy and to help keep her safe. If Val ever has a doubt in her mind that her client may need her to check on her during her off shift, she goes over to her house because she is walking distance from her client.  She also took care of an emergency in her client’s backyard and had to deal with a huge bee’s nest.

Additionally, Val is meticulous about her notes that she documents in our system. Her client’s son enjoys reading all those details in the family portal since he is overseas. She’s also great with coordinating all her client’s doctors’ appointments and accompanies her on those visits.

Recently, Val’s client ended up in the hospital.  She visited several neighbors to find out where she was and eventually located her at a nearby hospital.  Before she left to head to the hospital, Val coordinated with the neighbors to make sure the client’s beloved dog was taken care since she didn’t know when she would be returning.  Once she was at the hospital, Val was was able to manage the communication between the client, the doctor, the agency and the client’s son, who lives out of the country.  Val was able to conference him in so he could speak with his mother and hear the updates. Val later went home to grab some clothes and a book, per the clients request.

In these moments Val shined and her service was recognized by the client. The client thanked her for everything, giving her a hug and a kiss. This is why Val and Assisting Hands Rockford do what we do.  It is so satisfying to be able to be there for our clients and make them feel safe and we become their family.

Val is also very active in her community as she works at an animal shelter, is the ordained minister for after life care for the community and is always helping her team at the hospital as a backup. She is a great team player!

About Val

In addition to all of Val’s credentials she is also a mother of 3 adult children, 2 girls and a boy as well as “Gama” to 2 beautiful grandchildren that she adores. She is very close with her family and her oldest daughter is getting married this October. When she’s not helping or volunteering in the community, she is spoiling her grandchildren. She also grew up growing bees and loves to read.  I can’t wait to learn more about Val as she seems to have dabbled in just about everything.

For more information about Val, our caregivers or Assisting Hands Rockford please visit our website at assistinghands.com/Rockford or give us a call at 815.884.CARE. You can learn more about how we can assist with in home care, respite care or transitional care. We’re here to help you with anything you might need assistance with to live and remain safe if your own home. Some of those services include but are not limited to:

• In-Home Personal Care & Grooming
• Bathing
• Oral Care
• In-Home Meal Preparation
• Feeding, Grocery Shopping & Errands for Seniors
• Light Housekeeping for Seniors
• Medication Reminders
• Walking and Transferring Assistance
• Toileting & Incontinence
• In-Home Companionship for Seniors
• Home Safety & Fall Prevention
• Alzheimer’s Care
• Transitional Care
• Orthopedic Care
• Dementia Care
• Parkinson’s Care
• Veteran Care
• Hospice Support
• Stroke Care

Assisting Hands® can provide assistance in the privacy of their own home for you or a loved one. Our caregivers have training and experience in providing in-home care. They have successfully passed extensive background checks, as well as being insured, bonded, and trained in CPR and First Aid.

Our service plans are individualized to meet the needs of area residents. We assist with the day-to-day activities such as:

• Senior In Home Care
• Elderly Care Services
• Personal Care & Companion Services
• Coordination of Care
• Additional Services

We will help you select the best matched caregiver from its pre-screened group of available assistants and can have qualified help placed in your home generally within 48 hours or less of the initial call.