We’ve all seen acts of selfless dedication to duty by frontline care providers over the past year, and know great stories of unsung heroes who have made life better for the people they take care of whether they’re caring for a patient, a neighbor or anyone in need. That’s why my friends at The Region IV Area Agency on Aging are hopeful that you will provide a bit of input to them as they prepare for their annual celebration.
The team in St. Joe is asking for nominations from the community for two key awards for their annual celebration. The first is Caregiver of the Year Award and the second is the Direct Care Worker of the Year Award.
The best part of the process is, you can accomplish your nomination while sitting in your own living room by filing the nomination online. The deadline is coming up a little quick, on February 8th, so you’ll want to get after the task sooner rather than later. Here’s more about each award, followed by direct links to the nomination process:
- Caregiver of the Year Award– People from all corners of the community have been stepping up to help seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. From delivering groceries, providing hands-on care, picking up prescriptions, shoveling sidewalks, giving rides to the doctor’s office and more, these unpaid caregivers are the glue that have kept many seniors safe and well cared-for during the pandemic. Many don’t consider themselves ‘caregivers’ but rather just being a good neighbor, daughter, spouse, partner or friend. Truth be told, many seniors would have had very different health outcomes without them. Region IV Area Agency on Aging is honoring these un-paid caregivers with the 2020 Caregiver of the Year Award. If you know someone who is a shining example of caring for an older adult – or older adults — in our community, please take a few minutes to honor them by filling out the brief nomination form. Tell us briefly why this person should receive the 2020 Caregiver of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at the Area Agency on Aging Annual Celebration on February 23rd. Nominations close on February 8th. Here is the link for that nomination:
- Direct Care Worker of the Year Award-The past year stacked significant new challenges atop existing ones for older adults, people with disabilities and the caring professionals who support them, the Direct Care Workforce. We know it’s been hard, and even tragic at times, but we have also seen remarkable resilience and dedication among Direct Care Workers (DCW). We want to hear about and celebrate the stories of DCW professionals going above and beyond to provide exemplary service to older adults and people with disabilities. Region IV Area Agency on Aging will recognize an outstanding example of this caring group of professionals with the 2020 Direct Care Worker of the Year Award at its annual celebration on February 23rd. Nominations are due on February 8, 2021. Here is the nomination link:
To nominate for either of these awards, simply respond to the two key questions with stories or examples about the nominee’s skills and values in providing quality person-centered care, helping people achieve meaningful outcomes and overcoming obstacles. Keep in mind that providing real life examples demonstrating the nominee’s traits is the key to writing a strong nomination.
