Lola

 Lola has worked with HouseWorks for almost two years. Throughout that time, she has consistently impressed her clients and their families with her professionalism, wonderful personality, and perseverance under the most challenging of circumstances. Lola’s unfailing dedication to the comfort and wellbeing of her clients and her ability to build quality relationships with clients and family members are among the many reasons why Lola has quickly become an invaluable member of the Home Care team. In addition, Lola has been extraordinarily flexible with the office, filling in for emergency shifts and being willing to pick up new clients without hesitation. Lola has exemplified the customer service standards that set HouseWorks apart.

Mirlande

 Mirlande has worked with HouseWorks for more than five years, and she personifies our commitment to customer service. The majority of Mirlande’s shifts have been as a member of our Associate on-call staff. On-call staff must be ready at a moment’s notice to go to a shift that needs to be filled immediately. In order to be a successful on call Associate with HouseWorks, you must possess the ability to be patient, reliable, and dependable, but most of all you have to be compassionate and dedicated to providing a high level of customer service. Mirlande has proven time and time again that she is capable of doing exactly what it takes to be such an important member of the HouseWorks’ team. Clients frequently comment on her warm, friendly demeanor, her high level of experience, her willingness to help wherever she’s needed, and her ability to handle different situations and circumstances with a great sense of humor.

Sandra

 During her three years of employment with HouseWorks, Sandra’s attention to detail, warm personality, and dedication to her clients have made her one of our most valuable caregivers. Sandra goes above and beyond for all her clients on a weekly basis and seamlessly transitions between their varying needs, never failing to remember the exact details of each client’s individual care requirements. Recently, Sandra has embraced her role as a Mentor for our Associate Mentorship Program and is currently providing direction and support to our newest associates. Sandra embodies the HouseWorks’ standard of bending over backwards for her clients and is a vitally important member of our Home Care team.

Viviane

Throughout her four years of employment with HouseWorks, Viviane has been extraordinarily dedicated to providing excellent customer service that goes above and beyond for our clients. She has been able to successfully support several clients on any given day—easily transitioning from clients who want a high level companion to those who require a lot of hands-on care. Viviane’s versatility and flexibility are strong assets to HouseWorks and they have really set her apart as a star caregiver. In addition, Viviane’s kind disposition and cheery, friendly demeanor create an environment of care and compassion that quickly settles the nerves of a new associate who might need a little bit of encouragement. Viviane’s willingness to lend a hand and her ability to effectively communicate with the office make her a truly valuable addition to HouseWorks. She exemplifies the standards that we uphold and that set us apart in the home care landscape.

Sharlotte

From the first day of her employment with HouseWorks, Sharlotte has been an irreplaceable asset for the Home Care team. Sharlotte has been instrumental in providing consistent, high quality service to her clients and their families. Frequently, families of clients comment on her compassion and empathy, clearly showing that Sharlotte becomes an integral part of the family care team. Even when faced with challenging circumstances, Sharlotte’s good sense of humor and positive, upbeat attitude allow her to navigate difficult situations. Fortunately for HouseWorks, Sharlotte has also been a superb communicator with her case manager and the scheduling team, offering great suggestions to enhance client care and well-being. Over the course of her employment, it has been evident that Sharlotte’s dedication to her clients and approach to customer service is unparalleled.

Deborah

The following comments are excerpted from HouseWorks’ letter nominating Deb as The Schwartz Center’s Compassionate Caregiver of the Year. After a lengthy selection process, the Schwartz Center chose Deb as one of five finalists for the 2007 award.

"Deborah is one of HouseWorks most conscientious home care associates, and that is quite a distinction considering the exceptional quality of our workforce. So many things make her remarkable including her rapport with families, her thoughtfulness, her energy and effort, and her impeccable documentation.

These qualities are unparalleled among the hundreds of home heath aides I have supervised over the past several years. Deb has been a Certified Home Health Aide for over fifteen years and has been with HouseWorks since 2001. During her time with us, she has worked short and long shifts, days, nights, and weekends — always willing to travel wherever a client needs her. Since she relies on public transportation, she often must walk long distances to reach her clients, and she has done so many times in rain, sleet, and snow. Deb works well with clients of every age, functional ability and background, and she always adapts beautifully to each new situation. Her attendance has been flawless, and she has earned the complete trust of our case managers. When we send Deb out to care for a client, we have no doubt that the client is in the best of hands and will be totally satisfied. Extraordinary people like Deborah help seniors and families through some of the most challenging transitions of their lives. Deb always meets the challenge with grace and compassion. Her sensitivity and maturity are appreciated by everyone who works with her and she is a beacon of excellence for us all."

Narcy

The following profile is excerpted from an essay written by high-school student Rachel Bronstein to commemorate Martin Luther King Day, 2007. Rachel is the granddaughter of a HouseWorks client.

"Narcy is not just the woman who takes care of my grandfather, she is a hero and a beacon of hope for many who have lost hope.

"Narcy is a Ugandan. She speaks of Uganda fondly, a place with good weather and no winter. Yet as a little child, Narcy lived amidst a war. Her family had to run from village to village to stay safe. There was never enough money and food to support her family. Things changed from bad to worse when Narcy became a teenager. The AIDS epidemic broke out in Uganda, and there was no medicine to treat it. There was nothing except the good will of the healthy to help these people. So Narcy assumed the role of caregiver, a role she has played her whole life.

"Fortunately, Narcy was able to move to the United States. Narcy, like many immigrants, is here on a mission. Every two weeks, she sends her paycheck home to Uganda. On her salary, she supports 25 of her relatives and orphaned children of people who have worked for her relatives. Most of them have lost their immediate families. She built a house for these survivors to live together to keep each other company and so that food and money can all be sent to one place. Healthy and successful people like Narcy are the only ones who can take care of these people: there are very few organizations to help victims of AIDS in Uganda. Narcy has provided more than just a place for the people who count on her to live. She is almost finished funding a gas station to give jobs to her extended "family".

"Narcy tries her hardest to make sure my grandfather has a comfortable day, and she is a good friend to him. He is 91 years old and was so fiercely independent that until he started falling six months ago, he refused help from anybody. Yet despite his stubbornness and peculiarities, Narcy treats him as a father (calling him “Dad”) and treats me and my family as old friends.

"Like Martin Luther King, Narcy has been patient and reached her goal: to overcome. She has been determined to survive through all of life’s trials, as Martin Luther King was determined to desegregate the South. Although Narcy is working to help a group on a small scale and King worked to help the huge population of blacks in America, Narcy embodies King’s heroism nonetheless. She has patiently worked for years — “five years and seven months,” she states proudly — to build her dreams and to build a foundation of hope and love to help others."
- Rachel Bronstein