FEATURED CAREWORKER


Shirley Varnell

Certified Nursing Assistant
Brookside Care Center

Shirley believes that "Being a caregiver is a calling on one’s life". Like so many other caregivers her first experiences greatly influenced her. It all started with her mother.

In the course of care for her mother and then later on her sister, Shirley had the opportunity to meet many hospital nurses in hospitals and they all said the same thing, “You’re a natural” or “You should be a nurse”. So in 1991 she enrolled in CNA class. Shirley has been a dedicated caretaker for 17 years but her skills of helping others began much earlier.

When her mother became ill at the early age of 45, Shirley was left to care for her. She had to learn all about peritoneal dialysis in order to bring her mother home from the hospital. She remained by her mother's side until the end. Shortly thereafter, Shirley's sister also became ill with Lupus at the age of 23. Shirley once again came to the rescue and took care of her for 17 years. This is why Shirley's proclaims, "When I look back over my life…I've always been a caregiver!"

Although Shirley says that her job can be stressful and very physical, she speaks warmly of her resident’s faces lighting up when she walks into the room. She goes the extra mile and takes the time to find out their likes and dislikes. It’s no wonder her resident’s families love her as well. She reassures them that she'll do everything she can to make their family members stay comfortable. When once asked, "Why work in a nursing home?" She replied, "If it weren't for long term care workers like me, what would happen to you? You need someone's help and care for you and someday I will too." With her strong faith in God, she hopes that someday she'll have someone loving to take care of her.

Despite being a mother of 3, having been married for 23 years with 6 grandchildren Shirley took the time to share her viewpoints on the importance of the CNA' s to the community as well as the world. She is an advocate for healthcare benefits, better patient/ worker ratio, teamwork, mentoring (she is a mentor), and employee recognition.

Shirley has one special memory she recalls fondly. Her memory is of a resident named "Mickey" who always provided her with heartfelt smiles of gratitude. She dearly misses him. This exemplifies what a compassionate and loving caregiver Shirley truly is.