Charmaine Tucker, our November Aide of the Month, has only been working with us at Blossom for a short period of time, but has quickly shown how deserving she is of this award. Charmaine was nominated for exemplifying our core value of Extending the Family. Born and raised in Rochester, Charmaine has fond memories of our city's sense of community. She was raised by a young, single mom who was unable to drive, so neighbors would kindly offer to take Charmaine to her great-grandparent's house and anywhere else she needed to go. As a loyal, loving, and caring individual, family means the world to Charmaine. She has one son who was a Marine and is currently enrolled in college.
Charmaine has a long career in compassion. She has previously taken care of older adults and children with disabilities. She believes that open communication is what makes Blossom stand apart from other care organizations. “So far what I like most working with Blossom is the communication you have with your clients and then the communication with the staff.” Another of Charmaine’s favorite parts about working for Blossom is spending quality time with her clients. She enjoys talking with her clients, going on walks, and driving around the city. She particularly likes helping her clients with meal preparation. She enjoys making her client's favorite sandwich for lunch, a yummy peanut butter and honey sandwich! Lunch is not the only sweet time she has with her clients; she also helps her client and their family make a delicious carrot cake.
One client’s wife has worked with several Aides from Blossom who have provided terrific service for her husband with dementia. However, she has strongly connected with Charmaine and is appreciative of the special bond that Charmaine has formed with her husband. She says “She’s very soft-spoken, and it’s a very calming effect for somebody that has dementia, and even though half the time he doesn’t understand what’s being done or said, he has a difficult time with words. She’s very patient with him… She’s just a lovely person.” Communication can be a hurdle for someone with dementia, but Charmaine is able to break through the barriers and anticipate his needs
Charmaine’s passion for helping others is what motivates her to do her best. “I love what I’m doing. You have to love what you’re doing to be able to do your best.” To be a successful Aide, Charmaine believes you must enjoy making a difference in other people's lives. She also believes you must be reliable, communicative, and able to fulfill the needs of your clients. Here at Blossom, we are grateful to have Charmaine as a member of our family and are excited to see her grow within our company.