2020 CAREGiver of the Year - Chan Inrasavongsa
Thanks to a friend who realized that Chan possesses a natural ability to care for others, Chan decided to pursue professional caregiving. Since then, she has been a model CAREGiver℠. “I have always felt very comfortable taking care of others,” she concluded.
When Chan entered Pat’s life as a CAREGiver, hope followed. In their regular conversations, Chan learned that Pat and her late husband used to dine out quite frequently. That’s when Chan got the great idea to take Pat to a restaurant once a week. Implementing this into their regular routine was simple to do, and it improved Pat’s outlook immensely. “It gave Pat something to look forward to each week,” said Chan. She added, “I enjoy making my clients smile and laugh, as it brings them joy. Life is serious enough, so I like to add humor and silliness sometimes, too.”
Chan has always enjoyed helping others. She comes from a close-knit family whose members help each other; in fact, Chan assists her parents on a regular basis and applies that same mindset to help others. As a parent herself, Chan raised her son mostly by herself. You could say that she’s always been a caregiver. “I feel like it’s in my makeup to care for others,” she said.
A current client of Chan said, “She’s terrific! We look forward to her coming.” The client added that Chan is appreciated because of the way she anticipates what they need and, out of respect, asks permission before she does anything. In addition, Chan uses extra precaution during the pandemic because the client has underlying health issues.
During COVID-19, she understood the great need for our services in the lives of aging adults, “Clients are counting on us.” Despite the pandemic, Chan frequently stepped up to help clients in need. She even rearranged her personal schedule, at times, to help her clients so that they have someone familiar with them. She stated that clients tend to get anxious when they know someone new is coming.
Chan is so beloved that another client went so far as to change her schedule to align with Chan’s availability. She wanted Chan as her CAREGiver that badly! “When Chan visits, she knows just what to do,” said the client. “She is also diligent to follow infection-control procedures, as I have health issues.” This particular client possesses a strong personality and struggles with obsessive-compulsive behavior. Chan excelled in this situation because she took time to learn about and understand the client’s diagnosis, and then she followed the client’s lead. By immersing herself in what the client was experiencing, Chan was able to better understands the diagnosis and, in turn, alleviate any trepidation the client harbored.
Clients with dementia are close to Chan’s heart; in fact, she loves learning about dementia because she knows this area of expertise is in high demand (“I love to learn in order to my job to its fullest,” she said.). With sympathy for those struggling with dementia, Chan is able to effectively guide and calm dementia clients; she also employs redirection tactics to lessen their confusion and anxiety. For example, client Vincent often says, “I am lost in the wilderness,” meaning he feels confused; Chan will take time to ask him about this rather than downplay or dismiss it, helping him open up and express himself.
In summary, Chan consistently exhibits the eight Attributes of our company’s Core Purpose: Patience, Kindness, Humility, Selflessness, Respectfulness, Forgiveness, Honesty and Commitment. Her clients love her (and want to keep her!) the minute they meet her, thanks to her calming, gentle personality. In turn, Chan always wants to be there for her clients and will do everything she can to make sure they feel loved and cared for.
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