Dear lrene, I wanted to personally thank you for sending such wonderful people to care for my father, William J. , during the last six months of his life. Our "regulars", Aminata {Amy) , and Joan were extremely competent, compassionate, caring, and respectful of my father the entire time they were with us. He could be cantankerous and difficult at times, but they were always incredibly patient, gentle, and loving in their interaction with him. They also helped me to understand that my father's behavior when he was being difficult was something that is common in many elderly people and they always knew how to handle these situations respectfully whenever they occurred. I had complete trust in them as my father's caregivers, and knew unquestionably, that he was in excellent hands with them. Amy had to endure almost constant pipe smoking and maximum volume on the tv set. She never complained about the less than comfortable setting she worked in every day. Joan had to put up with the same smoking and loud tv before my father retired to his bed every evening. She even used to enjoy watching baseball with him, and she would help him find a game every night. I think she learned a lot about baseball in general, and his beloved Orioles, in particular, during her time with him. She watched over him and helped him to the commode multiple times each night. She and Amy gave him reassurance that he was not alone and comfort with their companionship. Both of them were unfailingly pleasant and helpful to him. These words can't adequately describe the compassion they showed him and the entire family in his final months. (They even gifted him with some new shorts and shirts as he had a habit of putting burn holes in most of his wardrobe.) He was always well dressed and well groomed because of them. Their presence allowed my father to live out his final months in the comfort of his own home, which was always where he wanted to be, and what the family strived to provide for him. Without Amy and Joan, Dad would have ended up in a nursing home, which would have broken his, and our, hearts. None of his children could have taken care of him by themselves, and he would have been so distressed and unhappy to be living anywhere but in his own, familiar, home. Amy and Joan's weekend replacement caregivers, Faith - and Shemon, were also very competent and caring with my father. I would highly recommend any of these four women as a caregiver for any person in need of such a service. Thank you, lrene, for helping to make my father's last days on earth as comfortable for him as possible. He resented having 24-hour care in the beginning, but I think even he understood that he couldn't have done things on his own anymore, although he insisted, almost to the end, that he could "go up those stairs" by himself as he had done for over 30 years in that house. I think he liked and respected his caregivers as much as the family did, and was as grateful as we were to have such wonderful women keeping him safe. Sincerely yours, Michele Marchica
Dear Ms. lrene, It is with tremendous gratitude that I send this thank you letter to you and your staff for meeting the complex staffing needs of my organization. As you are aware, we are a nonprofit organization providing various community supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. At Home Support & Staffing has been a tremendous blessing to us in providing exceptional support staff and nurses in our various , - programs. Your agency has provided the most experienced, compassionate, professionals compared to any other agency that I have ever used in the past. I am so thankful for your continual support of our population. Our individuals depend on support staff for all or a majority of their care while at home or at our day programs and I can always depend on your agency sending the most competent and vigilant staff whenever called upon. Again thank you so much for providing great nurse's and support staff, you are making living at home a endless possibility for many families. Sincerely, Tihesha Simmons, RN BSN RN Manager Kennedy lnstitute of Catholic Charities