Caregiving Story

My inspiration for becoming a CNA started with the love and legacy of my dear Grandmother. She was a huge part of my life from day one. We had a chance to grow closer than ever when I stayed the summers at her place in Show Low, AZ. Each summer I stayed with her, I was able to go out with her each day to the nursing home down the road to check on her Mother, who was living there due to suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. Her dedication to her Mother was inspiring and I was proud to see how well my Grandmother cared for her own Mother. We always made sure that she had nice clean clothes to wear and that her nails were painted and her hair was styled. We made an extra effort to make sure she even smelled nice. We would visit with her each day and let her share many memories of times past that were so precious to her. She mostly loved music from church and so there were times when we joined with her in singing her favorite songs as she sat in her chair conducting the music. My Great Grandmother passed away when I was eighteen, and I promised myself that I would take care of my Grandma with the same love and attention she offered her own Mother. My Grandma suffered from many auto-immune disorders and in Feburary of 2006 she broke her hip. From that point on, she was in need of constant care. She was always a well refined lady and it was very important for her to look pretty and have her space clean and organized. I was able to learn her specific wants and desires and my family and I made sure that she was as comfortable as possible and that she always had the best care possible until her passing in December of 2007. One of my favorite things to do with her was to read to her. We had the same taste in books, so we would choose a book to read together and I would read it out loud to her. Those were special times. I will always cherish my closeness to her. She truly is my inspiration for providing the best personal care to my clients.