Serving the Elderly, Physically and Intellectually challenged individuals in the Kingston Community
Testimonial #1
It was 1987 and my father had suffered his second stroke. My mother was suffering from a nervous breakdown. She had tried to support him and care for him but with work and both of them being in their late 50's life was not cutting them any slack. She needed a rest. Having no siblings to care for them it fell upon me to bring them to Nova Scotia from Montreal. After a quick move and some settling in, life was picking up a pace of its own
My naval career was moving in a different direction as my electronics technician course began in the winter of 1988. I had three to four hours of homework every night and full time classes during the day. To supplement our low income I took on extra work part time. Between both my jobs and school I had no time left for family or leisure. Then, in the early fall Sandy became pregnant with our son Shawn.
Pregnant, and caring for our three-year-old daughter, Sandy became our savior. She quit her job and unknowingly became a homecare giver that day. She cooked, cleaned, shopped, did all the necessary chores, and scheduled and attended important medical appointments for both my parents. She advised them and guided them when needed through the government red tape they faced with my father being disabled. During that time she also acted as translator as neither of my parents spoke any English.
As I graduated from my course and began going back to sea for weeks at a time with the Canadian Navy, Sandy now also became the head of the house. With two children and two very sick adults, she balanced the books, helped my daughter start school and prepared all the meals as well as run the household and cared for my baby son. Once my parents had been nursed back to health and they returned to Montreal two years later, no one could believe the amount of responsibility and dedication that one person could muster.
Had it not been for someone like her, I'm certain that I may have had to quit my job and go take care of my parents myself. From the very beginning, Sandy had determined that this would be something that she wanted to do, needed to do. My life would be extremely different had it not been for her rescue.
Thank you Sandy and best of luck with HUGS Homecare Services. Your commitment to everything you do is your strength.
Claude Gagné CD, SSM
Master Seaman, Retired
Testimonial #2
It should have been the most exciting time in our lives but as the saying goes, "when it rains, it pours!" I just gave birth 8 days prior to beautiful twin girls. They were premature and needed close care but then I fell sick and ended up in the hospital. I was diagnosed with phlebitis in my leg and had to be put on medication intravenously and was told I had to stay in the hospital until it was under control.
My mother was at my house as she had come down from Nova Scotia to lend a helping hand and help care for my 2 year old son. Unfortunately, if the situation was not bad enough as it was, my son came down with influenza and in turn, gave it to my mother. Both were severely sick. My mother was bedridden for several days. My husband, working a full time job, could only do so much by himself.
Without a second thought, I received a call while at the hospital from my angel, my sister Sandra. She had left her family and priorities behind to come and help us. She tended to our mother and my son. Took care of my premature twins that needed feeding every 2 hours. Cooked, cleaned, did laundry...I can go on for hours.
Without her, we are not sure how we would have pulled through. In our minds, there are only caring, thoughtful, generous people that would do this for others. My sister Sandra is one of them. We needed her desperately and she was there for us. We will always be grateful that an angel showed up on our doorstep that day!
Shelley and Joe D’Elia
Montreal, QC