Our Champions of Care program celebrates and highlights exceptional work by our staff. The nominations for the 2020-21 fiscal year have closed, and we will be selecting the winners in the upcoming weeks.
We received many nominations on behalf of our Personal Support Workers and Homemakers, and we are happy to highlight them below:
- “I just wanted to send a quick thank you for PSW Leopoldo Fuenmayor. My mother-in-law can’t stop raving about how kind, professional and friendly Leo is and it’s all the more appreciated in this Covid world. Thank you Leo!” – Client’s son-in-law
- “I am very pleased with my PSW worker Myra Salunga. She goes above and beyond to help me! I am so happy with the services I receive from Circle of Care.” – Client
- “Yesterday when PSW Joan Ellis came to our home, she did everything she needed to do and was pleasant to work with. She did everything just perfectly. She interacted so nicely with Mom and it felt like she was happy to be there, it was just a very pleasant experience.” – Client’s family member
- “Adeline Cajes has been supporting my mother, a very complex client, for almost two years. She provided exceptional care up until my mother’s final days at home. Adeline was able to build a connection with my mother, who had extreme anxiety and a reluctance to accept workers into her home. My mother looked forward to Adeline’s visits every week and spoke very highly of how compassionate and patient Adeline is. Adeline was integral in ensuring my mother’s safety and well being, and supported her decision to remain at home. I also want to share my profound gratitude for Adeline’s approach and ability to care for my mother.” – Client’s daughter
- “Chona Solde and Analyn Obeda were an integral part of supporting a very complex client. They were patient and attentive and were able to form a strong connection with this client despite her reluctance to accept help. Their calm demeanor and care for this client did not go unnoticed and were praised many times by the client and the client’s daughter. They were able to help this client live out her final days at home peacefully. Thank you both so much for your hard work and compassion, you made a profound difference in someone’s life when they needed it most.” – Alia Pota
- “PSW Fadumo Noor is like an angel. I’m so happy to have her in my mom’s life. I saw her yesterday and she is so patient, an extremely hard worker. I honestly wish everybody was like her.” – Client’s son
- “It’s been 2 weeks since our mom passed away. I just wanted to share my gratitude for the amazing PSWs that helped her throughout her disease. I will forever be grateful for Elvira Galang in particular. She helped my mom and dad whenever she came. She was polite and listened to the primary caregiver, my dad. My dad is now grieving and needs some help after her death. I only wish and pray that Elvira comes and helps him during his time of need. May all the elderly be respected at their most vulnerable time in life. My dad also gives his thanks to all the different PSWs that my mom received in the last 5 years.” – Client’s family
- “On this Labour Day weekend, I am mindful of our front-line workers. I am particularly thankful for Elvira Galang, my mother’s PSW with Circle of Care. It has already been over a year since Elvira started coming to help with my mother’s daily chores. What a difference it has made not only for my mother who is 92 years old, but also for the rest of family. Thank you Elvira for your professionalism, positive approach, dedication, patience, empathy, and for your ever loving smile. You are an angel bringing us comfort and care. We are much indebted to you and we shall never forget.” – Client’s son
- “I wanted to say how helpful PSW Camilla Leon has been during the past few months. Her area has been very low on workers but I can always count on her to help out with any other clients, no matter how last minute! Thank you Camilla.” – Skye Rutherford
- “I wanted to let you know that PSW Gina Macaspac is a fantastic worker. She comes to me a few times a week and does just a fantastic job. She’s polite and caring. She came out of her way one day to put me to bed when my regular worker couldn’t show up, and she did this despite having a very busy day of work, and I think that was just great. I wanted you to know what a fantastic worker you had.” – Client
- “I recently took over a case from a colleague and PSW Edwina Balagtas has been incredibly patient, not only with the client, but also with me in assisting to work through the complexities of this situation. Thank you for your hard work and dedication Edwina!” – Kyla Lipsman
- “I am just so happy that my PSW Lenny Maneja is back to do some cleaning in my condo. She only not cleans it shiny and tidy, but she is also a very nice, jolly, charming, helpful, and friendly worker, and she always makes my day brighter when I am down. I don’t need to tell her what she do because she is already aware of what I like. Thank you Circle of Care and thank you Lenny!” – Client
- “My PSW Shahnosa Hamraeva is really caring. She is always polite and always accommodates all my requests. She’s always asking “What else can I do for you?” She never asks inappropriate questions and cares for me and all my neighbours like she’s our daughter. Thank you to my coordinator Julia for sending to me such a great person!” – Client
- “During the recent building fire, PSW Shan Zhang took extra efforts to help take a bedridden client out to the hallway. She knew that the client had no one to look after her, and she pulled her on a blanket to the emergency staff. Her shift finished at 11 pm, but she stayed to help this until 1 am. She is a real Champion of Care in any situation, but especially through her help during the fire in the building.” – Valentina Burman
- “PSW Theodros Azene has an overnight shift at 6250 Bathurst. The fire started in the building at 8:30pm, he came at 10:30 pm and helped to take clients out of the building and cover them with blankets. He was assisting clients to the TTC bus shelter and been with clients outside until 2:30 am. When the fire department told him it was safe to go inside, he assisted all night. Despite the elevator not working, he went twice up to the 14th floor to assist a client. He is champion of care with his performance!” – Valentina Burman
- “Thank you very much to PSWs Shoba Khadka, Lyudmila Rabinovich, and Liubov Egorova, I appreciate the help and care you have provided to my mother.” – Client’s daughter
- “I would like to thank PSW Lalita Sawh for her kindness and for the gentle care she gave my mother who at times was very difficult. She is one of the best with her patience and constant tender love and care. I truly feel that you have very good caregiving ladies in your agency and if they are like Lalita, you have the very best.” – Client’s family
- “My homemaker Karen John is so excellent and I am so happy with her!” – Client
- “On behalf of my siblings, I want to recognize PSW Analyn Obeda for her fabulous care of our mother. We are all working full-time, and so knowing that Analyn is there with her is a huge blessing and relief. What makes Analyn so special is her wonderful spirit, her great humour, her intelligence and perceptiveness, and her amazing initiative. Analyn is an incredibly hard worker and she thinks of things that need to be done to support our mother before any of us–and immediately sets to work on whatever task she has identified as important for our mother’s care!” – Client’s daughter
- “I am writing to you about my PSW, Analyn Obeda. I don’t have enough words to express to you at Circle of Care and CCAC my appreciation for arranging Analyn to help me stay in my own home. The aging process is not easy and although I am experiencing some anxiety and vulnerability, I still prefer to be at home and Analyn helps to make this possible. Analyn is bright, cheerful and thoughtful and treats me with great respect. She helps me in many ways. For example, she helps me to prepare my dinner and oversees my showers. My balance is deteriorating and Analyn is aware of this. She watches and supports me very carefully when I go for a walk or when I use the stairs. Analyn is fastidious about her own cleanliness and appearance and she comes into my home like a shining light and is always ready to help me in any way. I thank you once again for your help in making my life easier with the assistance of my kind and caring Analyn.” – Client
- “While the ADP has been closed for face to face clients our Program staff PSWs Sofia Vainshtein, Cecilia Katantkatang and LadyBell Marquez have brought joy to our clients and families by engaging them singing their favorite songs, doing trivia, telling stories reading poems and listening to them reminisce. They have also prepared activity packages, taken part in ZOOM programs, created art projects and welcome back cards, and assisted us in going paperless (no more client binders). We thank our outstanding Program Assistants for all that they do for us each and every day!” – Madeline D’Arpino
- “Maria Theresa Ablao is an amazing and wonderful PSW. She is very caring and takes really good care of my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law really loves her. I really appreciate with all what she does to allow my mother-in-law to continue living at home”. – Client’s daughter-in-law
- “My mother passed away a few days ago. I really appreciate with all the care PSW Sylvia Taton provided to my mom over the last few years. She is an amazing and caring person and was always there for my mom. My family and I having been going through a tough time over the past couple of weeks, and I really hope Sylvia is doing fine. Our family would like to pass our greatest gratitude to Sylvia for all the years she had been with my mom.” – Client’s son
- “My PSW Radha Poudel goes beyond her duties to make me feel special and loved. She always puts me first! I live alone and my family does not visit me, but Radha always makes me feel special. I have other PSWs as well but none compare to her willingness and compassion for me.” – Client
- “I want to express how grateful I am to Circle of Care for the service that my mother received from PSW Valentina Martsenyuk. I cannot say enough good things about Valentina. No words can explain the outstanding care she gave to my mother.” – Client’s daughter
- “PSW Lorna Opena has been working with me for over 5 years. I see about 8 or so PSWs on a regular basis but Lorna understands me and is patient, and now after many years knows exactly what I want and need. My mornings with her are stress free and very enjoyable.” – Client
- “PSW Nichola Mclean has shown her companion and care towards her clients. The Service coordinator and CSS have heard such great compliments about Nichola’s work ethic and performance from several of her clients. Her clients are very happy with the service Nichola provides.” – Jessica Collins
- “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Sofia Vainshtein for helping with the vaccination of my mother. Sofia was called to help when the vaccination team arrived to administer the vaccine and my mom was not cooperating. Sofia made all the difference – since she speaks Russian, she was able to explain to my mother the inoculation process, calm her down and make her comfortable. We are so grateful to Sofia for her help!” – Client’s daughter
- “PSW Elena Bragina has been like a gift to my mother. She is incredibly supportive, kind, patient and a true professional. In the most difficult times, Elena has always been there for my mother. Even in times when my mother is moody and says harsh things, Elena never loses her patience, but instead shows even more kindness and understanding. My mother is so incredibly lucky to have her and I will forever be grateful that she is there for her when I am far away in another country. Thank you so much, Elena!” – Client’s daughter
- “A couple of weeks ago, PSW Susan Olanio started to come to our house to stay with my daughter. Susan is kind, warm and very patient. She tries her best to communicate with my daughter, who is non verbal and they are becoming good friends! Thank you for your attention in finding people who truly care for our children.” – Client’s mother