CAREGiver of the Month Tammy Keefer recalls the day when she became “Sammy.” She also remembers the day when she shed her tears with others as she ceased to be “Sammy.” She’ll never forget the precious time between those significant days with her Home Instead® client.
Tammy was one of four CAREGivers who was allowed by the 24/7 client’s husband to take care of his wife, who had dementia, a hearing loss and other challenges. The client described Tammy as her “favorite,” and the client’s eyes lit up when Tammy walked through the door. Sometimes they would talk for hours. Although the client had dementia, she never forgot Tammy’s face or the name she gave Tammy. It was “Sammy.”
“My client had trouble hearing, so when I introduced myself as ‘Tammy,’ she thought she had heard ‘Sammy.’ So, I was ‘Sammy’ from that day on. We bonded quickly, and her husband and the rest of their family welcomed me into their lives as a family member, and not a house guest,” said Tammy, describing the first meeting with her very first client 5½ years ago as a CAREGiver with Home Instead of Martinsburg. Keith Clay owns the award-winning franchise that serves West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.
The days, weeks and months moved too quickly, just as they always do, and the earthly bond was broken by death. After Tammy’s client passed away, she attended the funeral and put her photo in the client’s hand in her casket. The photo was signed, “Love, Sammy.” The client’s husband saw the photo and said, “Tammy, that is a beautiful photo, but who is Sammy?”
Tammy said: “I explained the story to her husband, and that I was ‘Sammy.’ With a huge smile on his face and a tear in his eye, he gave me a big hug and told me he was so grateful for me and how I had cared for his wife. I continued to care for him in his home until he was moved into assisted living. I have many wonderful stories about working as a CAREGiver, but one of my favorite stories is with my very first client.”
If Tammy’s clients seem like family to her, it’s because she already had embraced the role of taking care of family who are in need. “When my mother became ill with COPD, I had begun considering becoming a CAREGiver,” Tammy said.
“I had been in management before becoming a CAREGiver, but the job just was not satisfying to me. I wanted to do something for which I could use my compassionate, so I filled out a general online job application for health care and Home Instead contacted me about working for them. I have always enjoyed helping others, so it seemed like the right choice for me.”
When a family caregiver is needed, Tammy is the one who usually steps up when there is a health-care need. “I cared for my mother when she was terminally ill in 2017 until she passed. When my father had hip and knee replacement, I was there to help take care of him and give him his shots,” Tammy said.
Allyson Starling and Kristi Piotter, who are both managers for the Winchester and Martinsburg Home Instead franchises, announced Tammy’s CAREGiver of the Month honor. Nate King, who works in Home Instead’s office administration and finance department, compiles the CAREGiver of the Month superlatives for the office’s monthly newsletter.
Nate said: “Anyone who has met Tammy knows immediately she’s an amazing CAREGiver. Our office staff is constantly commenting on how reliable she is and how she offers the needed consistency for her clients. For Tammy, just being there for her clients isn’t enough – she goes above and beyond to provide them with the best possible care. Both the passion and compassion she puts into her work is very evident. Her clients sing their praises of her. She makes them feel very comfortable. To Tammy, we say: ‘This recognition is but a small token of our appreciation, and you’ve certainly earned it. Thanks for being a valued and integral part of our team.’ ”
Tammy is among more than 100,000 CAREGivers worldwide, and she has helped add to those numbers because of her strong belief in Home Instead’s purpose. It isn’t hard to see Tammy lives the Home Instead principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
“What I like the most about my job as a CAREGiver is that it gives me joy knowing I was able to help people enjoy their lives while remaining in the comfort of their own homes. This job has been the most rewarding job I’ve had,” Tammy said.
