My grandmother, Virginia, was walking one day in our terrace where she slipped and fell and broke her hip. She was taken to the hospital, and had surgery; however, during her hospital stay she also suffered from pneumonia and stroke. Her brain got so swollen that the brain surgeons didn’t feel confident they could save her. Eventually, they were able to take her off ventilator but she never woke up. My mom took her home and cared for her.
My mom was part of a sandwich generation. I did not understand that concept before. But I now realize how hard those times were for her – caring for all four children, managing our home and our family business together with my dad, and taking care of my grandma. I know my mom was overwhelmed, confused, and constantly felt guilty that she couldn’t do more.
Knowing what I know now and looking back, I wish that home care was available for my mom and my grandma. It would have made life so much easier and happier for our family. It may not have prolonged my grandma’s life but my mom could have easily spent quality time with her as an only child in those last few months, and not as a primary caregiver trying to do all the tasks and being pulled from all different directions. I wish that qualified help was accessible to us when we needed it. This inspired me to own a home care company where my primary and personal goal is to provide experienced and compassionate caregivers to families so we can aid in caring for their loved ones.
At about the time my grandmother passed away, I was inspired to go to Nursing school and got my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. My nursing career was focused heavily on caring for patients with neurological conditions, after witnessing what my grandmother went through. After about 20+ years of this specialty and seeing that many families have a hard time bringing their loved ones home to care for them on a regular basis, and having to sacrifice their own families and jobs, I decided to be a home care provider and bring my expertise as a Neuro Nurse to care for patients with specific neurological conditions.
Now, I get to help families every day by providing Silver Spring Home Health Care in Montgomery County, MD to families who are trying to keep their loved ones at home. I feel a sense of joy knowing that I can help families who may be experiencing the overwhelm and confusion of caring for a loved one, and knowing that maybe we can take some of the stress off of their shoulders…something we were not able to do for my mom.
