Family Modeled Compassionate Caregiving for Tawana
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” is an old saying that means a child often has a similar character or similar qualities that mirror those of his or her parents or grandparents. Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Tawana Gray is a perfect example.
When Tawana was young, she lived with one of her grandparents. “Between my two grandmothers,” Tawana said, “they modeled for me how you help others. My grandmothers were both compassionate. My father’s mother was a registered nurse. My caregiving started with my grandmothers as great role models. My mother worked for the Salvation Army for 15 or 20 years, and I saw how she helped others. She also helped at a homeless shelter, and she helped with checking on my grandmothers when they got older.”
Tawana’s compassion and empathy has figured heavily in her role as a mother, even more so than most mothers. “My son was born with disabilities, and I’ve loved him and taken care of him. He is wheelchair-bound and is nonverbal. Now he is 25 and lives in a group home. I can take him to my own home for days at a time if I want, and I visit him often,” Tawana said.
Pointing to her heart for assisting vulnerable adults, Tawana explained, “I love to help people. In addition to family caregiving, I worked as a house parent at a group home for 12- to 17-year-olds. Professional senior care is the perfect field for me. Caregiving comes naturally. I am a nurturer. I love my job with Home Instead.”
Tawana joined Home Instead of Clearwater in October 2019, and she immediately was touched by Home Instead’s flexibility with its Care Pros. “When I started with Home Instead, I made them aware of my family situation. There was my son’s situation. Then, at that time, I also was serving as a family caregiver for my father’s mother. I also filled in to help a disabled aunt, who lives with my mom’s mother,” she said.
Before choosing Home Instead, Tawana had 20 years of experience with dietary/nutritional science, including work at a small assisted living facility for 85 to 95 residents. “I was working at a dietary position with the care community,” Tawana explained. “I worked for six years in a high school cafeteria and formed friendships. In fact, a 15-year-old student said she wanted me to be her godmother, and so I did become her godmother that year. We still keep in contact, and she is now 30. She calls me ‘her daughter.’ She is the daughter I never had.”
As a Care Pro, Tawana has naturally formed those same kinds of family-like relationships. Tawana’s two regular clients have been with her for a year and a half, and two years, respectively. “They are sweet ladies who are nice,” Tawana said. “Companionship is important.”
“For some clients, there aren’t many friends and family members around. I’ve had many conversations with clients who might be alone unless they have the company of one of us Care Pros. I filled in to help one client actually has outlived everyone. She is 102. She said, ‘I am glad and love it when you come to visit and help me.’ She wanted to just sit and talk,” Tawana said. “If I need to work on the holidays, I will go to clients on the holidays. It is meeting a need, and it is that simple.”
Tawana added: “I sometimes buy flowers for my clients for no reason, ‘just because.’ When one client returned from the hospital, I brought flowers to cheer her up. And I am up for challenges. A new client tried to transfer herself from her bed to her wheelchair. I jumped in because she was struggling. It was a little bit of a different transfer, and I had to use a board. I danced when we got the transfer safely done. She said, ‘You did good for the first time.’ ”
In addition to assisting her regular clients. Tawana is known as the Clearwater franchise’s “go-to Care Pro” for last-minute fill-in shifts, and it is clear she’s one of Home Instead’s top Care Pros despite her family caregiving obligations. “I reach out to help a lot of clients,” Tawana said.
In addition to her clients, Tawana pointed out: “I love the Home Instead office. I can talk with the staff because they are very approachable. If I have problems, I can go in. I appreciate them, and they appreciate me. I do my best, and I go wherever they need me. Jaclyn is my primary scheduler. I look at it this way: Home Instead gives me the opportunity to give care to someone who needs it. I am not going anywhere. This is where I want to work.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (727) 799-1400 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
