female

Speaks English, French

I have a high-functioning 17-year-old grandson who goes to school at a public high school in Springfield. I have been with him on hundreds of occasions to care for him sometimes for days and/or a week at a time, overnight, etc., and given him his medications and looked after him. He has been a challenge, particularly behaviorally, but not a challenge to love him unconditionally. I have spent my vacations with him at times and looked after him when his parents, due to extenuating circumstances, could not. He is doing well and will be graduating this spring from high school with pretty decent grades and has plans to be a firefighter. He leads an ordinary life and drives, is focused on school and his future. He works part-time at a sub shop close to school and his home. I also have a grown son who was born with some brain damage and is now mentally disabled. He did, however, have a good job earning good money and has even had a son (my grandson who lives in Cleveland so we don't get to see him much) and now lives in a group home with four other gentlemen in a lovely private home in Springfield. He had a motorcycle accident several years ago and had severe brain damage so he is now fully disabled. In any case, I do spend a great deal of time with him and his housemates, going on outings and taking him and the other men out to eat, to play miniature golf, to go shopping, etc. I have so much fun with them and it is really uplifting to go visit them and spend time with them. We just lost one of the guys when he had a stroke and fell and died in my son's home and it happened just before Christmas. I cried and cried. I will truly miss him and his wonderful spirit. I do have a passion for people who have these challenges but who can still be very functional with the right care and caring individuals. I also have a nephew who was born with cerebral palsy and who is now 40 years old and lives with his mom still. He is delightful and works and smiles all the time and is one of the sweetest people I have ever known, never a bad word about anyone. Please consider me for such a care position. I am reliable, dependable and loving and like to have fun. Laughter is a great stimulus and good for everyone. I've also cared for (when working for Comfort Keepers) dementia patients and Alzheimer patients. They are certainly a challenge and one must exercise great patience and be able to comfort them if having a bad day and be consistent and caring.