Danielle M.

Somethings come naturally, and caring for children and the elderly seems natural for me. The years prior to my parents passing away, I worked a full time job and still helped take care of my parents. I spent weekend and evening with them. There were no regrets after they passed. What I enjoy the most about caregiving is the pleasure it gives the person I'm helping, and the good feeling I get assisting them. I know both my parents were proud, happy and relieved to be able to have stayed at home until they died. We are a close knit family and that is why I started helping my Aunt and a family friend once my parents passed and I became retired. My daughter is an RN and my son owns his own excavation company. I have six grandchildren, 5 girls and 1 boy. The boy was the last :) I live in a 4 tenement house that originally belonged to my grandparents, then my parents and now my brother owns it. 17yrs ago I moved back to Adams after living in California for 20 yrs. One of the apartments was available so I decided to not buy another house, and just live in the apartment next door to my parents. I had a baby monitor in my parents bedroom and in my bedroom so if they needed me during the night, they could just "yell", which my Mom did often because she could no longer walk on her own. Both my children live on the same street as I do, which makes it nice. I moved back to the Berkshires just in time to enjoy my parents last years before passing.

I was a CNA for 6 yrs in an assisted living home/ long term facilities. I did private care for a year then went to pharmacy for 9yrs. Being in pharmacy my CNA expired in 2007 i renewed it in May 2014. I worked for anagency from Feb 2014 till Oct then was in private care from Sept 2014-Jan 2015. I was called back to the job I worked @ 10 yrs ago now in the memory care unit as a CNA. I love the unit it's me & a nurse with 14 residents personal care, daily activities it's a quite & locked unit. I'm very organized a planner have lists & agendas, being a caregiver as in making a bed, to a shower or a grocery run makes me fill accomplished to do it for someone that can no longer or needs assistant doing it.