Brooke Johnson loves her role as mom to two boys under six years old. Together, her family enjoys snowboarding, swimming, hiking and trips to OMSI, the Children’s Museum and the zoo. More recently, Brooke discovered a love for her other job as a part-time home caregiver to senior adults. Brooke is sharing her story below, hoping that other area moms might follow in her footsteps to enjoy the same flexible and rewarding work.
{This post is sponsored by the caregiving team at Home Instead Senior Care. Their team of dependable, warm-hearted Home CAREGivers includes a number of fellow Portland area moms, and we are pleased to introduce you to one of them!}
What attracted you to caregiving as a profession?
After moving to Portland three years ago and being a stay-at- home mom for almost a year, I was browsing employment ads for a part-time job I could enjoy while making some money, too. The tricky part was finding something that wouldn’t require daycare for my boys.
When I saw a Home Instead ad, I was immediately interested. It sounded like the perfect fit for me.
You mentioned that working at night as a caregiver gives you time to be with your family during the day. How do you handle the transfer from one parent to another?
I never in a million years would have believed it, but working as a caregiver overnight is the best thing ever! It was not my intention to do so when I started at Home Instead, but Tina suggested I try it and I’m so glad I did! I go to work at 8 p.m. or later and am off at 7 a.m. This allows me to be with my 3-year-old all day, be home after school for my 5-year-old, and even be there at bedtime on nights that I work! My husband goes to work when I get home in the morning, and he is always home from work by the time I leave.
Tell me about the people you care for. What do you like best about them? What do you talk about with them? What kinds of activities do they like to do with you?
I have met some of the best people while working as a caregiver. I love hearing stories about their lives and how times were once so different. I have always valued my family, but the seniors I have met over the past year have really shown me that when your life is almost over, its the memories of your children and loved ones that are most precious. My current main client loves to look at pictures I take of my boys. It brings back so many memories for her, of her own kids, and sparks conversation that way.
When do you sleep?!
Lol good question!
I have been very fortunate in that my current client, who I have been with since last August, sleeps pretty well for the most part and my nights are usually very restful. I typically help her 2 or 3 times during the night and I am allowed to sleep in the other room with a baby monitor right by me while I’m waiting for her to call for help. I have had clients where I am up most of the night and the next day at home is tough but doable. With an alert shift client I would request to not do consecutive nights. Also, overnight shifts are 12 hrs long so I’m only not sleeping well 3 nights a week. Sometimes I’m a little sleepy but it’s well worth the exchange for all my days being free! : )
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