Home Caregiver Recognitions
Our Case Managers meet to choose a Caregiver for Angel of the Month. A Case Manager will generally nominate someone with an explanation as to why this person is chosen. The Caregiver is notified that they have been selected and comes in to the office for a full celebration. This person is honored with treats, a certificate, gift card and the Case Manager that selected them will read a full write-up about why they were chosen. The Caregiver is interviewed and then featured in the monthly newsletter as well as on Facebook. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has the most amazing team of people to care for our Clients. Our Caregivers work tirelessly with their Case Managers to ensure top quality care.
Angel of the Month
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Aminah Nakafeero
March 2021
We are thrilled to announce Aminah Nakafeero as our Visiting Angels Newton/Canton Angel of the Month for March 2021. Aminah joined our team in November of 2019 and has already made an indelible mark with her intuitive and skillful care of our clients.
Aminah’s ability as a caregiver to support our clients, particularly those with dementia, comes naturally. She has a keen sense of observation that she uses to study each person she cares for, including her grandmother, to learn about the effects of dementia and how to attend to their individual needs.
At a young age, Aminah decided she wanted to have a career that involves helping others. She was eighteen when she and her family members took turns helping her grandmother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Aminah carefully observed her grandmother and learned very quickly different ways to support her. Sometime after her grandmother passed, two of her sisters moved to Massachusetts, one of whom is a certified Home Health Aide (HHA). She encouraged Aminah to move here from Uganda to pursue her career as a professional caregiver.
Aminah obtained her HHA certification and began her career assisting a private client with dementia and his wife. She worked for the couple for two years, honing her dementia care skills. When her client passed, a friend of Aminah’s sister recommended that she apply to Visiting Angels Newton/Canton.
Aminah has gained a tremendous amount of experience in her time working with people who have dementia. At Visiting Angels, we see that Aminah has knowledge beyond her years because she is patient, an excellent communicator with a positive attitude, and is highly empathetic. These traits help Aminah gauge and adapt her methods while caring for people with memory loss and the behaviors associated with mental decline.
Aminah pays keen attention to her clients and will learn what they used to enjoy. She will sing, dance, play cards with them, whatever activities bring them happiness. Aminah’s current client has short-term memory loss and requires full ambulatory support. The client is reserved and introverted. Aminah instinctively chooses when she will engage in conversation and when to assist quietly.
“I know it is not them but the disease,” Aminah explained. “It is so important to remember that when working with someone who has dementia. I don’t take anything personally and will step away to give myself and them space if they become agitated. I will gently let them know that what they are saying is not appropriate if a client becomes verbally aggressive. There are times when a client will forget who I am or fear that a stranger is in the house. I identify myself and let them know that I am there to help them feel better as many times as needed.”
Aminah has genuinely enjoyed being a part of our team, working with our case managers and office staff. “I really like working with the case managers because they do not pressure me,” Aminah said. “They work hard to find a client I am compatible with, and they support me. They work around my schedule and make sure I am comfortable.”
Aminah is currently caring for one of RN Case Manager Katherine Jennings’ clients. “Katherine is so knowledgeable and checks in on me often to make sure I have what I need and to guide me through challenges on this case.”
Katherine shared her first impression of Aminah with us. “I first met Aminah when I was running the new caregiver orientation she attended. She was very quiet throughout the presentation, but she fully engaged in the discussions when we began to have an open conversation afterward. She had so much insight and offered many great suggestions about how to care for clients with dementia. The questions she asked during our Q&A portion of the training showed me the depth of her intellect and gave me insight into her personality. It became clear that Aminah has the natural ability to learn, adapt and master new skills quickly.
“Aminah is the perfect example of a caregiver we would all want to support our loved ones,” Katherine continued. “She is intelligent, empathetic, trustworthy, and so dependable. I am delighted to be working with Aminah on this case and thrilled to have her be recognized as our Angel for March 2021.”
When Aminah is not working, she enjoys watching television and movies to unwind. She loves to take time to be with her family and is looking forward to taking a trip to Las Vegas with her sisters in the next year. Aminah is also awaiting the opportunity to “just go out and be around people comfortably again.” She is social and loves the outdoors, so she is eager for a positive and safe return to a less restrictive life.
Aminah will be starting classes at Roxbury Community College soon to pursue her RN degree. We are so delighted for her.
Thank you, Aminah, for your compassion, incredible work ethic, and dedication to our clients. We are honored to award you Angel of the Month, for March 2021. We know that you will continue to be a shining star and make a tremendous difference in the lives of others for years to come.
newton-Aminah Nakafeero_AOM_MARCH2021.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Judith Pierre-Louis
February 2021
newton-JudithPierreLouis_AOM_FEB2021.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Renette Glaure
January 2021
newton-RenetteGluare_AOM_JAN2021b.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Amanda Adolphus
December 2020
newton-AmandaAdolphus _AOM_Dec2020.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Nadya Harriet
November 2020
newton-NadyaHarriet_AOM_Nov2020.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Sam Ssebbowa
October 2020
newton-SamSsebbowa_AOM_Oct2020.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Christine Kemiyondo
September 2020
newton-ChristineKemiyondo_AOM_Sept2020b.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH: CONTINUING THE TRADITION
August 2020
newton-AOM Cont the Tradition August 2020b.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Elizabeth Namutebi
July 2020
newton-ElizabethNamutebi_AOM_July2020b.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Patricia Durrant-Campbell
June 2020
newton-PatDurrantCampbell_AOM_June2020b.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Sonia Tibekyinga
May 2020
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Daniella Franklin & Daphney Sainvilus
April 2020
newton-DaphneySainvilus_AOM_April2020.pdf
newton-DaniellaFranklin_AOM_April2020.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Eslie Lacroix
February 2020
newton-EslieLacroix_AOM_February2020.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH | Jackie Asiimwe
January 2020
newton-JackieAsiimwe_AOM_January2020.pdf
ANGEL OF THE MONTH 2019 Awardees
ANGEL OF THE MONTH 2018 Awardees
Special Recognitions
Timeless Gratitude to Alice Kimani
No, this is not a new award we’re giving, but a special commendation to Alice Kimani, who gave live-in care to one of our clients. One night in November 2016, she was awakened by the smell of smoke. There was a fire in the garage, which quickly spread to the rest of the house - but not before Alice successfully evacuated the senior whom she was caring for, as well as the adult son. The house was burned to the ground, fed by a full tank of heating oil. Two cars in the driveway, one of them Alice’s, were melted. But thanks to Alice’s heroism, nobody was injured, except for the senior’s pet cat, which unfortunately perished. Alice, we think that you are wonderful!
Tama Lewis – Massachusetts Home Care Alliance 2009 Aide of the Year
The HCA has 150 member agencies employing over 19,000 home health aides, and one of our very own was chosen as the 2009 Home Care Star Award Aide of the Year. Tama embodies the essence of what every family wants in a home care aide: skill, good judgment, compassion, integrity, kindness, reliability, good humor, caring, wisdom, dedication, warmth and respect in dealing with seniors. She has been with Visiting Angels for five years, but like all our caregivers, she came to us with years of experience in giving care to seniors.
For four years she was the lead caregiver to a man named Joe, who had no family or friends to help in his declining years. Although he had Alzheimer's disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, with Tama's care he was able to remain at home, where he wanted to be. When she came on the case, his health was declining rapidly despite ongoing medical attention. Soon Joe's deteriorating health began to improve as Tama made sure that he got a healthy diet and took his medications. His home got cleaner, and his appearance improved. Eventually Tama was joined by other caregivers, but she remained the lead person of the team that organized his life, did the shopping, got him to medical appointments, cleaned his house, prepared meals and kept him clean. With help from Tama and the rest of our team, Joe attended his Masons meetings, continued his treasured Saturday evening buffet at the Marriott, and visited places where he had spent his youth. When he developed pancreatic cancer, he died at home with Tama by his side. She was the closest thing to family that he had.
At Visiting Angels of Newton & Canton, we are proud of our reputation with our many referral sources and clients who note the excellence of our services and the quality of the people that we employ. That reputation rests on providing home care with men and women like Tama Lewis since 2004. As deserving as she is of the award, Visiting Angels has many other caregivers who are just as dedicated, give just as much of themselves, and who deserve their own awards. We salute Tama and all of the fine caregivers who work for us and allow seniors the joy of remaining at home where they want to be.
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning accredited home care agency that provides elder care services in Brookline, Newton, Needham, Brookline, Chestnut Hill, Canton, Westwood, Dedham, Watertown, Natick, Wellesley, Stoughton, Roslindale, Norwood and nearby areas. If you aspire to be the best caregiver you can be, contact us at 617-795-2727 or fill out the form on our home care careers page.
If you are looking for the best home care services in the Newton/Canton area, contact us at 617-795-2727 or click the button below to tell us about your case. We're ready to help you!
Serving Brookline, Canton, Dedham, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Stoughton, Watertown, Wellesley and Westwood
Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, Massachusetts
383 Elliot St #100ENewton, MA 02464
Phone: 617-795-2727
Each Visiting Angels agency is a franchise that is independently owned and operated. The Franchisor, Living Assistance Services Inc., does not control or manage the day to day business operations of any Visiting Angels franchised agency.