A Mother and a Caregiver
Manchester coordinator and mother Erin Shuford was hired in 2009, while owner Dean Krasovitsky had just begun building the first Manchester residences. At the time, Erin was working in a substance abuse rehabilitation clinic and was looking to make a change, but wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life. Her mother, who was a longtime friend of Krasovitsky, told her about the upcoming residential care homes.
“She suggested that I give them a call, so I did,” Erin said. “I applied for a position as night caregiver and worked my way up to house manager, and here I am now, supervising house managers.”
A Parent’s Passion for Caregiving
One thing all of the Manchester staff have in common is the passion for their work, and Shuford’s passion for caring for the elderly comes partly from her life experiences. Her great grandparents made her feel secure and protected, and gave her a tremendous amount of love and attention when she was a child, she said.
“I have many fond memories of them and miss them dearly. I look at each and every one of the residents at Manchester as if they are my great grandparents and try to duplicate the love and security that my great grandparents gave me,” she said.
Being parented or cared for in a wonderful way can have a positive impact on how well you parent and care for others. As the mother of two young children, Erin understands what it means to take care of someone who requires your help or relies on you to make important decisions regarding their well being. Erin knows the awesome responsibility involved when the well being of others depends on your judgment, nurture, and love.
Words of Wisdom from Erin:
Imagine what it must be like as an infant. You felt very safe and secure in your mother’s womb. Then all of a sudden there were bright lights and loud noises; you were hungry, cold, and scared. As a mother, it is my job to nurture, protect, reassure, and make my child feel safe in his/her new surroundings
Now Imagine you are elderly. Everything that was once comfortable and familiar to you becomes confusing. You slowly lose your hearing and possibly your eyesight. Managing your financial responsibilities, driving, and simply remembering the date and loved ones become difficult. As you age, the independence you spent your whole life gaining is slowly fading and you once again become dependent on someone else to make decisions for you, to keep you safe.
Because of this realization, Erin feels that caring for the elderly goes hand-in-hand with being a mother. It is her job and every other Manchester staff member’s job to nurture, protect and reassure the residents and their families that we will provide the care and honor that they deserve.
