Walter Z.

About Walter

Caregiving has been my vocation for seven years, most of that live-in work for seniors, and I love it. I was attracted to live-in senior caregiving when I had to spend 24 months doing caregiving for my own father, who had terminal cancer and advanced Alzheimers. Since then I've worked at helping people who badly needed support--managing medications, cooking and serving meals, doing laundry and light housekeeping, physical recreation, minor household repairs, transport to medical and other locations--always with conversation and camaraderie. I like casual talk, especially with mature people, and I've always preferred working where I live. One client I persuaded to multiply the length of his daily patterning crawl by a factor of twelve, by getting down on the floor to crawl with him. Another stopped smoking and returned to playing bocce after I played a toy bocce game (by myself) alongside her breakfast table. Earlier I got her to stop driving her own car by convincing her I would drive her anyplace she wanted to go. My lifestyle is quiet and thoughtful, and I like to read classic novels and write about my ideas. In my earlier life I was, at various times: a columnist and Editor-at-Large for professional computer magazines; founder and CEO of an international software users group; teacher at and head of experimental elementary schools, radio broadcaster on education, percussion instructor, and general manager of a loudspeaker builder.

Caregiving Services & Expertise

Experience & Education

Live-in Caregiver

Jan 2007 - Jan 2012

Lisa Pongrace

All ADL and transportation for a couple in their 80s (one bedridden and terminal, both with dementia), 4 days a week, live-in. Extensive, jovial conversations with the woman; he was too ill to talk much. Meals were specialized because she needed a diabetic diet and he required pureed. I doled out about 20 pills a day and supervised her bloodsugar checks and insulin injections. Played bocce on her team and obedience-trained her large puppy.

Jan 2007 - Jan 2012

Daytime Caregiver

Jan 2007 - Jan 2007

Mario Scharmer

Cooking and feeding; bathing help; leading through therapy exercises; walking support; transportation; assistance at ceramics classes and in swimming pool; extensive conversation (partially in gestures) with strong camaraderie. He had notable brain-stem damage.

Jan 2007 - Jan 2007

Live-in Caregiver

Jan 1996 - Jan 1998

Howard Zintz

Full charge of non-medical care, medical management and mental stimulation for my father, who was dying of metastasized cancer and Alzheimer's disease. I handled all household ADL activities, including cooking, shopping, household maintenance and financial affairs, 7 days a week. He was semi-bedridden and unaware of who anyone was.

Jan 1996 - Jan 1998

University of California, Berkeley

Sep 1959 - May 1960

Sep 1959 - May 1960

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