CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Every day, nurses and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) do invaluable work for those in their communities, often in a variety of capacities.

One way nurse and CNAs serve their community every day is as caregivers for seniors. These professionals play crucial roles in the lives of their patients, allowing them to live their golden years to the fullest.

 

The backbone of BrightStar

One place where the impact of caregivers in obvious is at BrightStar Care of Charlottesville. There, caregivers are matched with seniors and help provide them with daily support and care.

“Our caregivers are the backbone of BrightStar,” Community Outreach Specialist Korey Hess said. “They are absolutely amazing. Our nurses and our caregivers are both absolutely amazing. They are loving, compassionate. They will meet the client where they are.”

Hess said BrightStar’s caregivers cover a wide range of personalities, from some of the loudest and funniest people he’s ever met to people who are quieter and more soft-spoken. But at the end of the day, they all “keep the main thing the main thing,” providing their clients with invaluable care.

 

Finding the best match

Thanks to the wide range of personalities in BrightStar’s caregivers, the clinic is able to match up their clients with the best personality fit. BrightStar does this by sending different caregivers to work with the client during the first two weeks, giving the client the opportunity to try out different people and personalities.

After the two weeks, Hess said they’ll talk to the client about what and who they’d like from their experiences and build out the team from there. This approach ensures each client is provided a team that matches their unique personality.

 

More than just a job

When a caregiver serves their client, it goes beyond just a standard 9-5 job. BrightStar’s caregivers go above and beyond to serve their clients. Hess recalled a particular story of how during the ice storm last January, many caregivers stayed with their clients to ensure they receive the care they needed during the inclement weather.

“It’s all about caring,” Hess said. “This is not an industry or a role where you can go in and clock in, clock out. Our caregivers, our nurses, they love what they do, and they love making an impact.”