The clients of caregiver Maria Luz Cipriano call her by the name she has always gone by, “Luz.” She in turn calls her clients “Sir” and “Ma’am.” She does this not to remain distant or formal, but rather because she was brought up to honor her elders, wants her clients to know she respects them and that she considers them her boss.
From the time she assisted in the care of her grandmother in the Philippines, Luz has known that she enjoyed working with the elderly. After moving to the states she worked full-time in the insurance business but also worked as a part-time caregiver and earned her CNA certification. After retiring from her insurance job Luz realized how well caregiving complemented her life and she did not want to give it up.
“I love the elderly,” said Luz, “and I feel happy that I can help. My parents and grandparents are all gone and I treat my clients as if they were my family.”
Luz has been with Family Resource Home Care since 1994 (with some extended breaks for visits to the Philippines). Currently she has one part-time client and also does fill-in shifts. When she first meets a new client she always asks what it is they need or want her to do. Luz will have read the client’s care plan but believes that by asking them what they want her to do, it helps the client feel some control over their own lives. Then, after the cooking, housekeeping, personal care and other caregiver duties are done, Luz always leaves time for talking.
“My greatest joy is when we talk together,” said Luz. “My clients like being asked about their past. As they talk, good memories come back to them. I enjoy the conversation and I can tell that it makes my clients happy.”
Luz is very happy to be working for Family Resource Home Care. “I really admire and respect them,” she said. “Everyone is nice, from the owner to the supervisors and everyone else in the office. They understand that sometimes a caregiver may need to say “no” to a shift and that’s okay with them. I like them so much that now my husband works for them too!” she added.
