About the Observance
Over the last couple of weeks, we have been celebrating National Family Caregivers Month by defining the term “caregiver” in relation to our core values & mission and talking to the caregivers at Care Around the Block. Honoring our caregivers is not a foreign practice, but we wanted to provide deeper insight into the life of our Care Partners and Care Managers by talking to them about their job. Caring for seniors encompasses a wide range of topics, and each caregiver has a diverse point of view. Join us as we learn more about Care Management for seniors from one of our very own Care Managers.
Senior Care—Care Management
This week, we have the privilege of hearing from CAB Care Manager, Natalya Malakhova. Natalya is originally from Magadan, Russia, but she has lived in Knoxville for six months. She has over 10 years of experience as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and experience as a Care Manager Supervisor. Natalya enjoys assisting clients with smooth transitions from one level to the next in their lives and sharing resources with her clients to make their lives easier during those transitions. Anyone who is around Natalya can see her passion for her clients’ well-being. Her past experience and passion combine to create a loving Care Manager with great expertise in the healthcare world, equipping her to guide her clients through the aging journey with grace and compassion.
Working at Care Around the Block
When asked about her favorite part about being a Care Manager, Natalya said she enjoys hearing new stories, different histories & views, and embracing the differences between her own and her clients’. She said she “feels seen” by her clients. The mutual understanding and appreciation of the care provided allows her and her clients to have closer relationships.
She also enjoys connecting with the Care Partners “who are unbelievably wonderful.” She says sharing insight and skills between different Care Managers and Care Partners opens a whole new world to better serve clients. When nurses come to assist with medications or fill pill boxes, she can connect with them to get a bigger picture of what she can do for the client during future visits. The collaboration of a professional and dedicated care team makes Natalya’s job easier and more manageable.
Natalya says one of her favorite things about working for Care Around the Block is the management allows her to be in charge. She feels as though her value is seen and she is encouraged to be a leader, to advance, and grow in her role. In an environment like this, she knows she can “do the best she can,” all while having a reliable team behind her in case she needs rescuing.
Natalya’s #CaregiversConnect Story
During this season of gratitude, Natalya says she is most grateful for her clients’ safety. She knows when she finishes a visit with a client, leaves a doctor’s appointment, or speaks to a client’s care team and family that she has given them the best things they need to be safe. She says she is grateful she is able to help “keep them safe.”
When working with a client experiencing cognitive decline, causing confusion, nervousness, and agitation, she remembers some difficulty trying to provide peace and comfort to the client initially. After a Care Partner was needed to help with transportation to and from appointments, things began to turn around. She said the client raved about the Care Partner giving her peace and comfort just while taking them to and from an appointment. This connection between client, Care Partner, and Natalya as her Care Manager deepened the trust and allowed the relationship between care team and client to flourish.
Natalya says connecting with the Care Partners that provide caregiving for her clients is one of her favorite parts about working at Care Around the Block. Working with a group of dependable team players makes Natalya feel supported and able to provide the best aging journey possible.