Tiffany K.

1) My career in photo labs had all but disappeared. My friends told me a career in home care was growing. So i went to school to get a license as a CNA/HHA. 2) It's great to help people stay in their own homes and feel comfortable that there is someone to take care of their needs. 3) That a 90 yr old man, who did not want a caregiver, finally accepted me, and i worked with him for 3 years, before he passed. 4) i have just returned to the Skagit valley after 14yrs in California. i miss the NW. I enjoy the camping, the abundance of water, and my old friends and family.

I have always been a care giver. Not always in the work field, but even as a child it was in me to care for everything. I always thought it was my duty to care for anyone and everything. Started with animals (some of which didn't need care according to their owners ha) and went to vet assistant. Then to opening a day care and caring for children. After the day care I was a school bus driver. When I could no longer drive a big bus physically I became a CNA and will stay such until my retirement. My heart is to tender to work in big facilities where I observed care takers having to rush to get their work done and to many older folks sitting around with no one to talk to. I knew it wasn't the CNA's fault, but my heart hurt after my internship at a great facility. It was then I knew I could not work for a facility. When I worked for an agency, I saw that they truly didn't care who they placed with who, had policies that limited our ability to actually be a friend to our clients and it was more about the profit than if the workers or clients were happy. So this led me to become a private care giver. I can work cheaper than what someone would pay an agency and there are no rules saying I can't get attached to my client! I truly care, and won't be told not to. I do realize that sometimes chemistry isn't right, but at lease we can discover it rather than just being thrown together and expected to work. I currently have one client and can add one more. I keep my hours limited so my schedule can be easily tailored to yours. I am a respite care giver. Meaning I am a permeant relief caregiver. I will do over nights a couple days a week, and 2- 5 hour shifts during the day. This is all negotiable! I haven't been a paid caregiver for long so couldn't list many years. But my experience is much longer, and my training is fresh and continuing.