Karen Breen | Angel of the Month | December, 2022
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is so honored to be awarding Karen Breen the Angel of the Month Award for December 2022. Karen has been with us for exactly one year and has proven since the beginning that she is a warm, compassionate, and caring person, which makes her a natural at caregiving.
Karen is a very special person who is committed to taking care of elders. It was clear from the moment we interviewed her that Karen had all the qualities we hoped a Visiting Angels Caregiver would possess.
Upon interviewing Karen back in December of 2021, Director of Client Services Julie McBain showed amazing foresight when she said, “I see Karen as someone who will have great rapport with clients and their families. She could be a future Angel of the Month.” And – voila! Here we are celebrating Karen as Angel of the Month, thanks to her outstanding caregiving skills and the relationships that she has built with our client and their family.
Karen worked as an insurance agent for over 30 years, leaving that field in 2014. Not ready to retire and wanting to give back, Karen now is happy to be working as a professional caregiver. Her first job at age fourteen was going to an elder’s home to do light housekeeping and companionship. Karen described her feelings about working as a caregiver. “I felt it was a rewarding profession in the past and now in the present.”
A well-respected Caregiver, Karen has worked with the same client since she started with Visiting Angels. She and her client have developed a special connection. Karen told us that the relationship now feels like family. Even the client’s family has noticed the real connection the two of them have. Karen said that it makes her happy to know the client is happy and having a good day.
“I love my job so much that it does not even feel like work!” Karen said. She explained that a great caregiver must have a passion for working with the elderly, love in their hearts to give to others, and patience. She said that it has always bothered her that elders are not always treated with the respect they deserve. Karen further stated that her wish for elders is that they can grow old comfortably and die gracefully and feels that her work and other Visiting Angels caregivers make that possible.
Karen’s philosophy, instilled in her from when she was young, is to treat people like you want to be treated. She said that caregivers need to have good listening and communication skills to be in tune with client’s needs throughout the day. Karen also mentioned that you should go with the flow to get through any challenges with your client.
Another mark of a great caregiver is showing empathy for what clients and their families are going through. Karen certainly does this, while providing excellent care. She expressed her appreciation in working with Senior Case Manager Susan Saris. Karen said Susan is very nice, personable, compassionate, and extremely supportive.
Susan emphasized that she was very fortunate to have interviewed Karen because as case manager, she was looking for a caregiver to work with our client. Susan said she immediately felt Karen would be a great fit. Susan was right as Karen told Susan that she felt a great connection with our client from their first day working together. Our client has Alzheimer's Disease, and Karen is kind, attentive, caring and easily engages her in conversation. She provides a lot of TLC, making our client feel extremely cared for. Our client is comfortable with Karen and enjoys her company. Karen has become a preferred caregiver in our client’s household.
Our client’s husband wanted to make sure that we included his words and gratitude in Karen’s celebration. He said, “With Karen, client care is primary. She develops a personal relationship which carries over to client and family confidence. She engages the client in conversation and demonstrates her understanding of client needs and truly cares for their well-being. Thank you, Karen.”
Susan added her own words to Karen’s tribute. “Karen, we feel incredibly fortunate that you found us on Facebook!! Thank you for being who you are and for providing such loving care to our client.”
All of us at Visiting Angels Newton/Canton cannot say enough wonderful things about Karen and the quality care she provides. We thank her wholeheartedly for all her accomplishments and congratulate her on being our Angel of the Month for December 2022.
Karen-Breen-AOM-December-2022.pdf
About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton MA has been providing high-caliber in-home living assistance for seniors and adults with disabilities for over eighteen years. Countless families have benefited from our personal care, companion care, live-in and round-the-clock home care, respite home care, dementia care, in-home Alzheimer’s care, transitional aid, and elder home care services in Dedham, Needham, Brookline, Watertown, Norwood, Roslindale, Upper Back Bay, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Stoughton, Canton, Jamaica Plain, Westwood, and neighboring communities. As a result of our exemplary home care service, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has won the Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence Award; the Best of Home Care Provider of Choice Award; and the Best of Home Care Employer of Choice Award from the national client satisfaction survey firm, Home Care Pulse, for six years. We have been honored to receive the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work award for seven years and one of the ten best places to work in Massachusetts in 2021 based on diversity and inclusion. Our dedicated and well-trained caregivers love their CNA and HHA caregiver jobs.