At BrightStar, our caregivers are everything to our clients – and to us. Each year, we reach out to the people whose lives have been touched by our compassionate care professionals – from home health aides and personal care attendants to nurses and more – nationwide to share their experiences with us. Hundreds of nominations pour in from our clients and their loved ones for review and a team of judges read each and every one through a difficult finalist selection process. The nominations are tender, poignant and loving, and echo the many reasons why our clients continue to choose BrightStar – our caregivers are making our clients’ lives better, and truly making more possible for them every chance they can.

The happiness, pure joy, and love our clients have experienced with our caregivers is quite powerful. These stories are why we recognize the amazing work our caregivers do each day, going above and beyond to provide compassionate care that is more – more dependable, more comprehensive, more complete. All of our dedicated caregivers are heroes and truly deserve to be celebrated. Read on to be inspired by our Caregiver of the Year finalists.

By region: MIDWEST REGION | MOUNTAIN REGION | NORTHEAST REGION | MID-ATLANTIC REGION | WEST REGION | SOUTHEAST REGION | PREVIOUS YEARS

MIDWEST REGION

Caregiver of the Year ’11 – Patrick Hoehn (McHenry, IL office)

It is difficult to put into words what our caregiver means to us. His primary goal is to help his clients do whatever they cannot do themselves or to assist them in what they can.

Besides ADLs, he takes special care of my husband’s shower safety, foot care, diabetic care, doctor’s and brace appointments. He takes him to exercise in a warm pool. He cooks, cleans, does laundry, takes care of our dog, shopping, helps cut the grass, helps plow the snow – so many things. He stacks the logs by the door in the winter so we can keep warm by our fireplace all winter long, he helps in the summer/spring with the garden, spreading mulch, landscaping, planting trees and plants, trimming trees, gardening, watering, planting and weeding. He helps my husband clean the basement so he can maneuver around better in his wheelchair, and he cleans out the garage so cars can fit in. He washes windows, power washes the deck and sidewalks, works with my husband to fix and repair cars, lawnmowers, tools, computers, golf carts – just about anything that needs to be worked on. He has patched walls where the wheelchair put holes, he has painted the chips in our cabinets to make our house look so much nicer. He did a huge job by drywalling our garage. He works with my husband doing all the work my husband cannot do. Read more.

MOUNTAIN REGION

Caregiver of the Year Finalist – Cynthia Cook (Colorado Springs, CO office)

Cynthia Cook provides 24-hour care for my aunt, Penelope Dean*, 3 days each week. She spends 72 hours a week with Aunt Penelope and does everything for her. She is always positive, gentle, and caring. The things she does which make my aunt so happy are:

• Cooks homemade, gourmet meals.
• Waters her flowers and plants, and brings fresh flowers to her bedside at all times.
• Watches old movies with her and encourages her to read, write and paint.
• Fixes her hair and dresses her daily in attractive clothing.
• Brings her therapy dog, Chewie, to spend time with Aunt Penelope, which thrills her.

Read more.

NORTHEAST REGION

Caregiver of the Year Finalist – Pauline Hayes (Hartford, CT office)

Our caregiver began her association with our family on April 9, 2011 for our mother. She established an early rapport with her as well as with the family and friends. She became part of our family. We heard her state “I work from the heart. I will are for your mother as I would care for my own mother.” In the weeks and months to follow, we learned that this was not an empty promise. Her actions proved to us that this is a credo by which she lives. Read more.

 

 

 

 

MID-ATLANTIC REGION

Caregiver of the Year Finalist – Debbie Glaze (Chesapeake, VA office)

After our 94-year-old mother, Mabel R. Hirschbiel, took a bad fall and broke her “good” leg in May of 2010, it quickly became clear that she would be unable to return to her apartment in the independent living section at Westminster Canterbury, and would be moving permanently to the “skilled nursing” area. Always fiercely self-reliant and strong-minded, Mom was frustrated and frightened that she was no longer ambulatory, and needed – for the first time in her life – to totally depend on others to help her. Although the care at WC is excellent, the staff can only do so much serving multiple residents, and mom’s health – mental and physical – began to decline significantly. She became increasingly depressed and easily agitated. So, we called in professional help – BrightStar. Read more.

 

WEST REGION

Caregiver of the Year Finalist – Joyce Bruhn (Huntington Beach, CA office)

It takes a most exceptional individual to provide care for the living…and the dying. Joyce Bruhn is just such an exceptional human being.

When I first met our mutual client John in February 2011 he was mourning the passing of his wife of many decades only weeks before. John’s neighbor and wife had valiantly and selflessly been trying to provide care for John and his wife prior to her passing, but were now finding the task daunting. John, legally blind, with diminished hearing and multiple medical maladies needed more care and supervision than they could manage while still continuing their own jobs and lives. Read more.

 

 

SOUTHEAST REGION

Caregiver of the Year Finalist – Philicia Wing (Charleston, SC office)

When I learned about the Caregiver of the Year award, I realized I could write a book about all the wonderful BrightStar caregivers who have come into our lives over these many months. But, alas, I am only able to nominate one for this recognition. With that said, I would like to tell the committee something about Philicia Wing and why she means so much to my husband Herb, and to me. Philicia is the personification of the word “caring.” It goes without saying that Philicia has the exceptional nursing skills required to care for Herb. He requires full-time, skilled care as a result of both motor and cognitive deficits from Lewy Body Dementia, an atypical form of Parkinson’s. I rely on Philicia’s knowledge, attention to detail, and problem solving skills to make sure he does not suffer skin breakdowns, falls, etc. Equally important is Herb’s nourishment and hydration. This is particularly challenging given his difficulties swallowing. Philicia’s combined attentiveness and patience result in her being able to get him to eat and drink more than anyone. Read more.

PREVIOUS YEARS

2010 Caregiver of the Year Finalists
2009 Caregiver of the Year Finalists