Lorrie Van Roekel was named Caregiver of the Month for November.
Born and raised in Albion, Nebraska, Lorrie became a caregiver when she was 16 years old. She worked in the local nursing home with both her sisters. “One’s an RN and one’s an LPN now,” said Lorrie.
Lorrie has been a CNA for 40 years and people always inquired why she never became a nurse. They knew she’d make a great nurse. Lorrie explained that she really enjoys the one-on-one opportunity she has with seniors by being a caregiver. “I like it when I can stick with one client. I get to know them, and they get to know me. Margie is my main girl,” shared Lorrie as she smiled over at her client Margie.
She has been Margie’s caregiver for a few months now and it was her independent testimonial that won Lorrie Caregiver of the Month. “Lorrie is always on time, she’s very caring, we have great conversations, and you don’t have to explain to her how to boil an egg,” Margie shared with a chuckle.
Working with people of all ages in her career, Lorrie found herself drawn to the older generation, commenting on how she loves the stories they tell. She was very close to her grandparents and had the opportunity to take care of her grandparents and her mom because of her experience and training.
Working for A Place At Home
With a long career as a CNA, Lorrie said she was very happy to find A Place At Home. “The office staff has been so helpful and kind. I worked with another in-home company before and we never had staff meetings, we never had any training. This is so much better. I just love the interaction everyone has,” said Lorrie.
She also offered up some advice to younger CNA’s just starting out. She found in her 40-year career that it’s best to listen to what your client wants, don’t just hear them. You may think another way is better or easier but it’s important to listen and consider it may just be the way they like things done.
APAH Recruiting and Retention Specialist, Stephenie Garrison, shared that Lorrie is a very kind and caring individual. She added, “Lorrie is very attentive to her clients and goes above and beyond to make sure they are taken care of. We are very happy that she is an employee with us and look forward to seeing her grow as a caregiver in our company.”
Are you CARE?
A Place At Home’s “We are CARE” philosophy is a commitment to our core values: Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical. If you are interested in becoming a caregiver and hold those values true in your own life, reach out to join our team today.
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