This article was written by a guest contributor, John Trompeter, the owner/operator of ComForCare of Wheaton, IL.
When a family meets a caregiver for the first time, they may only see someone ready to help with meals, bathing, or dressing.
But what they’re really meeting is a compassionate, dedicated individual we’ve carefully selected—someone who truly wants to make a difference in their life.
At ComForCare, we receive many applications for caregiving roles. Plenty of people have the necessary skills, but we’re looking for more than that—we’re looking for heart. As our clients peel back the onion, they realize that they have a helper who goes the extra mile—not because they’re told to, but because they care.
We’ve felt that a caregiver is born for such—that it’s part of their DNA. Their activities and interests outside of work vary. For example:
- Loida V. — A teacher of English as a second language, she works with autistic children and is a Sunday school teacher
- Terry J. — Volunteers with the county Sheriff’s office
- Anna B. — Day job is to teach preschool kids
- Bambi R. — A semi-retired interior decorator
- Beth R. — Owns a small landscaping company A number of our caregivers are students. Many of them are moms or dads. And it’s nearly a constant that our caregivers speak of the importance of their faith and involvement with their church.
One perk we offer: The people who work for us are occasionally called away by their family to resume their role as the family caregiver…because that is who they have always been. Over the years we’ve let many caregivers take a leave of absence to step back into that role for their family, even if it means traveling back to some far-off place.
By John Trompeter Owner/Operator, ComForCare of Wheaton