Hello everyone! So my story is
My mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor and cancer when I was 15 (on my birthday) of all days and she scheduled the surgery quickly and the tumor was removed and successful but they also found out she had stage 4 lung cancer so we knew she was terminal and they gave her 1-5 years for survival. She fought hard and Cancer and won the battle after a year and a half. She passed at 44 and I was 16.5 years old. While she was going through treatments my outlet was volunteering at the local nursing home 3 days a week. I knew by 15 my calling in life was to work with the geriatric population.
After she passed I moved in with my aunt/uncle and 2 cousins in Carnation Wa. I graduated high school in 2007 went to Central got my BA in Gerontology as well as my CNA license and have held various management roles in the senior living community. I was a medtech, caregiver, activity assistant, then an activity director in CA for 2.5 years, Memory care director, and my last job was a BOM (business office manager) I realized after almost a year of being in that role I hated paperwork, a desk job, payroll, always dealing with people not clocking in/out for their shifts, etc! My body physically hurt sitting at a desk all day. So in July of 2022, I gave notice and said goodbye!
I pursued my dream of starting my own caregiving business (Shays Helping Hands). I am a one-man show. Haven’t hired anyone yet. I do have a website that is in the world and will be published very soon!
I took the leap in July and have never looked back and LOVE what I do!!!