Valerie started her working career as a Registered Nurse. As a Student Nurse she spent her summers working with Alzheimer patients in a long term care facility. As a graduate, she worked as an RN on a surgical unit in a hospital setting.
Valerie, as a young RN, watched her Mother pass away from cancer at age 53. This is how she describes that experience. “At the time, I was not prepared to deal with that kind of loss. Consequently I regret not being there for my Dad, who looked after my Mom at home, until the final days of her life.”
In 2008 when Valerie’s father in law needed palliative care, the family decided to look after him in their home. “I was grateful to be in a place in my life where I could help. When Claude passed away with all of us there, I felt a peace that is hard to explain.
Through these experiences I developed a passion for the elderly. I believe that at no time in life should a person be denied the right to make their own choices on how they live their life and that includes how they choose to die.”
“I want my next career to provide me with a sense of satisfaction. I want to make a difference in the lives of others”. As a family member involved in the care of her own loved ones, Valerie could see the cracks in the public system.
“One does not really appreciate what kind of stress the family endures in these situations; you feel like you are the only one going through this and are frustrated as to where to go next for help.
I want to help people navigate through the system. There are programs out there; you just need to find them.” Her experiences have helped to shape the person she has become and what brings meaning to her life. For the past 10 years, Valerie has been involved in providing quality home care to Seniors in the Capital Regional District.
Shawna began her journey into home care in January of 2016. After many years of working in the private business sector, Shawna wanted to spend the latter part of her career where she felt she could make a difference in the lives of others. When this opportunity presented itself, it seemed like a perfect fit for the next chapter of her life.
Shawna has experienced firsthand the challenges that a family endures when faced with illness and aging of a loved one. In her own words. “I lost my own mother when I was 26. At the time, I had three young sons and was torn between raising them and trying to help my Dad. Years later, in 2008 my father in law suffered a debilitating stroke that took his life two years later.
My husband and I became part of the care team, our children were teenagers then, but we struggled to find the balance between being there for my father in law and still having time for our marriage and our children.”
These experiences have given Shawna a real desire to give seniors choices. Shawna enjoys delivering the best quality of care that enables seniors to stay in their homes and helps to give their families peace of mind.
I was born and raised in Victoria and has worked as a nurse for the last 15 years. Corina joined our team after her father lost his battle with cancer in 2017. When it was determined that her father only had a short time left to live, Corina left Victoria and traveled to Maui to give him his wish of dying in his own home. She was able to help her mother provide hospice services in their home.
“The comfort of knowing that I was honoring my dad’s wishes is etched into my heart. I came back to Victoria and knew that I could make a difference in the lives of so many by giving their families this opportunity”. Corina wants people to know that they have choices and that home care is an option at any stage of life.
Van Isle Home Care has an elite team of caregivers. All of them come to us with experience and a desire to care for seniors. Because of their passion, many have worked in facilities and therefore come to home care for that personal connection that makes care giving so fulfilling.
We at Van Isle Home Care, build CARE TEAMS that strive to enhance your life. We match our caregivers with your personality, so you are comfortable with the care being provided.