Home health work is a calling for award-winning Chillicothe resident

Chillicothe Gazette
·2 min read
1
Deana Brown recently won the Homemaker Aide of the Year by the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice.
Deana Brown recently won the Homemaker Aide of the Year by the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice.

CHILLICOTHE — Deana Brown’s days are long. She delivers the Chillicothe Gazette starting at 2 a.m. Then she heads to her next job, which is a calling of sorts. Deana is a home health aide for Ross County Home Health LLC, and was recently honored as Homemaker Aide of the Year by the Ohio Council for Home Care & Hospice (OCHCH).

“Our Homemaker Aide of the Year Award goes to home healthcare workers who go above and beyond their job duties, ’’said Lisa Von Lehmden, board chair and transitional lead of OCHCH. “Deana clearly does that, even checking on her patients when she has a day off. She is truly committed and sees the people she works with as family, not just clients.”

“Deana has worked for us as a home health aide for 26 years, ’’said Wanda Whetsel, RN and Administrator of Ross County Home Health LLC. “Turnover rate for a home health aide is high. Deana stayed with the company because she didn’t want to lose her patients.”

“Her patients are her family, ’’said Althea Caplinger, Deana’s supervisor. “Her parents both died in their 50s. She didn’t get to do things for her family as they got older, so she in turn does this for other people. Her goal is to brighten someone’s day. She took care of my parents before they passed away. If we could clone her, that would be a good thing.”

“Her patients all love her and refuse to let anyone else come other than her,’’ said Caplinger. “She is a hard worker who never stops while in the homes, cleaning and providing personal care. But sometimes, more than anything, she provides them with the emotional support they need, giving a listening ear and positive attitude to help them stay positive also."

OCHCH is a non-profit association that represents the interests of health care at-home providers in Ohio. OCHCH advocates for ethical, compassionate, and quality home and community-based care, as well as for the individuals and families its members serve. As the voice of health care at home, the association strives to provide value, resources and partnership for those who provide care for Ohio’s most vulnerable citizens.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Home health work is a calling for award-winning Chillicothe resident