Perrysburg, OH (November, 2014) – On Thursday, November 6, 2014, compassionate caregivers in Wood County were honored at an event, The Golden Care Awards.
The event, which was held at the W.W. Knight Preserve in Perrysburg, was presented by the Wood County Committee on Aging and sponsored by Sterling House of Bowling Green and Kingston of Perrysburg.
The awards ceremony recognized the caregiving heroes in our neighborhoods. Compassionate caregivers working in a facility or home care setting, as well as community caregivers were honored at the event. Honored caregiving heroes went above and beyond in their role as caregivers.
Pat Bruielly, who was honored at the event, never expected to become a caregiver.
“I never really gave caregiving a thought, I expected my parents to be healthy forever,” Bruielly said.
Her mother has Alzheimer’s disease and now resides at Clare Bridge Place.
Bruelly does whatever she can to make her mother feel happy and comfortable.
“Seeing my mom smile when I walk up is so rewarding,” she said. “She doesn’t know my name and calls me her sister or mother most of the time, but I still love it when she’s happy to see me.”
Although having a family member with Alzheimer’s can be difficult, Bruielly stays positive.
When asked what advice she would give someone struggling with caregiving, she responded, “Just go with it, let the people you care for set the pace, knowing what they like and letting them make choices and making them feel useful,” she said. “Take advantage of the good times, and let someone help you during the bad.”
Bruielly is just one of the many caregivers who often go unrecognized. WCCOA and our partner organizations would like to thank those caregiving heroes in our neighborhoods.
The complete list of caregiving heroes includes:
Those honored caregivers working in a facility/home care setting:
Dr. Thomas Wojciechowski, Mary Ann Borisenko, Rachel Reid, Denise Hartbarger, Shelly Ruehl,
Special Recognition: Judy Errett
Those honored caregivers from the community:
Tammy Simon, Pat Bruielly, Martha Hogle, Annie Bingley, Shirley Clark, Judy Hoffer, Virginia Michael, Mary Soneson, Donna Roach
Special Recognition: Joseph Rsyz, Dawn Boyer, Sandy Clevenger, and Kenneth Stickles
The mission of the Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc., shall be to provide older adults with services and programs which empower them to remain independent and improve the quality of their lives.
For information on programs and services, please contact the Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc., at (419) 353-5661, (800) 367-4935 or www.wccoa.net.