Right at Home’s Caregiver of the Year Program publicly recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of a select group of caregivers who deliver extraordinary care to Right at Home clients. During the nomination period, Right at Home franchisees recognized more than 130 amazing caregivers for their outstanding service. The nominations were narrowed down to 20, and a selection committee consisting of three senior care and caregiver advocates selected four finalists. The committee chose the National Caregiver of the Year from the final list of four.
Right at Home is proud to announce Mary Hartsock of Frederick, Maryland, as the National Caregiver of the Year! Mary has never missed a day of work and has never been late for a shift while employed with Right at Home. She has been with the Frederick office longer than any other employee, practically since the office opened in 2003. Her integrity is impeccable, and her work ethic is relentless, especially with housekeeping tasks. She will work just about any shift to accommodate someone, and she even helps with administrative tasks in the office.
Mary has worked in snow, sleet, rain and hail, and even while her house didn’t have water and electricity for five days during Hurricane Sandy. During those five days, she slept under layers of blankets, ate dry cereal in the morning, stopped at a convenience store for coffee and showered at the American Legion all before going to work.
Mary traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, to accept the National Caregiver of the Year award during a banquet at the company's annual meeting. “It makes me feel very special,” she said. While in Omaha, Mary toured points of interest such as the Durham Museum in Omaha and the General Dodge House in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
During a lunch in her honor, Mary shared the wisdom she has gained from 11 years as a caregiver. Joining Mary for lunch were Right at Home corporate office employees and two members of the Caregiver of the Year selection committee, Dr. Eboni Green, President of Caregiver Support Services, and Viv L. Ewing, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association, Midlands Chapter. Everyone enjoyed Mary’s warm spirit and insightful stories.
Mary spent 28 years working for a hotel, until it closed. She then went to work for a college, and it closed a mere eight months later. When she saw an ad for caregivers, Mary thought, “I can do that” and applied. She was 79 years old. Eleven years later, the petite 90-year-old is still going strong caring for clients.
On one of her first assignments, the clients had requested a woman that was physically “robust.” Despite Mary’s diminutive stature, Steve Luber, owner of the Frederick office, suggested that the couple give Mary a try. Steve’s instincts were apparently quite accurate because she stayed with the clients for five years, until the husband passed away. Mary said she also has been caring for another gentleman since 2003, almost certainly giving comfort and consistent care to him. As if that weren’t enough, Mary is dedicated to hospice care. She shared a story of a 57-year-old cancer patient who died in her arms.
A mother with one son, two grandsons and two great-grandsons, Mary has no desire to slow down or retire. She says she doesn’t think it’s healthy to just sit at home and watch TV all day, but she does like to watch sports occasionally – especially NASCAR – on the weekends. Tony Stewart is her favorite driver.
Mary’s dedication to caregiving extends to volunteer work with the Alzheimer’s Association and AMVETS, an organization that assists military veterans. Alzheimer’s is a cause close to her heart, partly because her father and brother both died of the disease. She recently visited Capitol Hill as part of a delegation advocating for Alzheimer’s research. While there, she met members of Congress and was introduced to actor Seth Rogen, whose congressional testimony she enjoyed hearing.
When asked what advice she has for new caregivers, Mary is clear that it’s about personalized attention. “You have to get to know the clients before you can actually work for them with any success,” she said. She went on to explain that understanding their likes and dislikes, including simple things such as how they take their coffee, makes a big difference. It’s this kind of dedication to her profession and attention to detail that makes Mary Hartsock Right at Home's National Caregiver of the Year!
