Care Manager Spotlight: Tracy Leverages the Power of Language

Care Manager, Tracy, with her client's sister, Brigitte, in Germany.

Part of the magic in providing in-home care services is finding unique ways to help each individual receiving care. Some clients respond to music, while others enjoy spending time in nature or hearing stories. For Care Manager Tracy and her client Eva, it was the power of language. 

Tracy has worked at Alegre Home Care since 2014, and she started working with Eva in December 2023. One aspect of Eva’s care was helping with her appetite. Shortly after Tracy started working with Eva, she set up a time to go have lunch with her at her house. Tracy brought soup and cheese and crackers. She must have chosen well, because Eva had a good appetite that day! Tracy also discovered that Eva’s first language was German, which Tracy happened to speak. Tracy recalls,

“We spoke in German the whole time I was with her. My German is quite elementary, but we talked about all of the ingredients in the soup. And she would correct my pronunciation or grammar. She still does if I make a grammatical error, and I tell her. I love when she corrects me because it helps me get better. That day she also told me about her childhood and young adult years in Germany. Speaking to her in her first language really opened my eyes. I felt like I was seeing the true Eva, not just a person with dementia.”

Dementia care was another aspect of Eva’s care. Tracy’s personal approach to dementia care is to help clients feel safe and valued. She shares, “I like to help people with dementia make safe decisions, while still acknowledging that they are adults with feelings, and want to be able to make their own decisions. I think it's also important to be a good listener, and not take things personally.”

Quality Caregiving: Going Above and Beyond for Clients

Tracy is valued at Alegre Home Care because she goes above and beyond for her clients. She demonstrated this quality recently during a trip to Germany, where she met up with Eva’s sister, Brigitte. It was coincidental that Tracy was already planning a trip to Germany and had a free day that was going to be near Stuttgart where Brigitte lives. The two communicated strictly in German, through WhatsApp. Tracy shares about the experience,

“Brigitte met me on the appointed morning at the Stuttgart train station. We walked around and she showed me some of the sights. We had coffee and giant pretzels, of course, because it's Germany! Then we walked some more and went out for lunch. After lunch, we realized that we had very little time to get back to the station for my train to visit my cousin in Switzerland. At her suggestion, we ran part of the way through a park! She is in her 80s, and is super fit! We were laughing at ourselves racing through the park and then the train station, and I got on my train just in the nick of time. I'm so glad I got to meet her in person. She is so full of joy. And I can see her love and dedication to her older sister.”

Alegre Home Care is fortunate to have a Care Manager like Tracy, who loves the work she does and goes above and beyond to make every part of it fulfilling. 

What Is the Difference Between a Caregiver and Care Manager?

One of the big benefits of receiving in-home care services is that clients have a whole team dedicated to their care. Caregivers and Care Managers work in conjunction with each other to provide the best possible care, but they work with clients in different ways. Both are valuable members of a client’s care team.

Caregivers are more hands-on and are involved in the day-to-day routines of their clients. Companionship, housekeeping, meal preparation, personal care, medication reminders, errands, and respite are just a few of the ways caregivers can help people stay independent in their own homes. The support of an in-home caregiver enables people to maintain social lives, engage in hobbies, stay connected with friends and family, and enjoy the comfort of being in a familiar setting.

Care Managers monitor the treatment and care of a client. They are invested in the well-being of both the clients and the caregivers. They play an important role in coordinating and supporting caregivers and their clients.  

Interested in learning more? Discover information about in-home care services here.