August 2021

Newsletter

Client Spotlight:

Donna Hallenbeck

Donna Hallenbeck was born May 2, 1938 in Van Alstyne, Texas. The story goes that she weighed 13 pounds and when the doctor placed her on the bed she rolled right over! Donna hasn’t slowed down since. She was a middle child, which she says it’s perfectly fine, between a brother who is three years older and a sister who is seven years younger.

The young family moved to Shafter, CA. Her mother worked in a restaurant and her Dad was a farmer. When asked what she was like as a child Donna laughs and

says “probably a pain in the neck!” She enjoyed school and after graduating High School she attended Bakersfield College. She then transferred to UC Santa Barbara where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree and teaching credentials. She taught History at La Cumbre Junior High School. The kids were tough but no match for Donna!

Donna met the love of her life, Ed, at a church banquet. The pair married and were blessed with two children, John and Elizabeth. Ed was a structural engineer. He did the groundwork for a new housing development where they bought their first home. Donna still lives in the home today. The family stayed busy with John’s football and Elizabeth’s church involvement. They were family oriented and often traveled to see Donna’s parents in Shafter, CA and Ed’s family in upstate New York.

When Elizabeth started preschool at Trinity, Donna got a job as the school chef. She was a beloved fixture at the preschool for many years and still runs into families that she got to know during her time there. It wouldn’t be her last job. Once the kids were out of the home, Donna got interested in baking. She took some classes and bought some equipment. Then she realized she had invested quite a bit of money into her hobby and she better turn it into a business! Thus, Donna’s Wedding Cakes was born. She did zero advertising but through word of mouth she kept up a busy business for years. She did everything herself, from taking orders on her home phone to deliveries, and no she never dropped a cake! The only help she had was asking Ed to do any writing on top, because she says his penmanship was better than hers.

Donna has experienced loss in her life but her faith has remained strong. She is still involved in meet ups with her church and she looks forward to spending time with her caregivers six days a week. She also enjoys spending time with her son-in-law Joey, his girlfriend Stacy, and her granddaughter Erin. 

Caregiver of the Month - Congratulations Gabby Lozano

Gabby Lozano is being recognized as Caregiver of the Month for July 2021 because of her extraordinary commitment to her clients and her recent scheduling help. 

Gabby has been with Senior Helpers since 2014 and she has always been deeply committed to her clients. She treats them like her own family, because she remembers what it was like to care for her husband after a traumatic brain injury.

In early July we asked Gabby to cover a last minute Friday overnight for her current clients. She had to say no due to having other commitments. Later in the day she contacted us and said she would take the shift because she knew she was the best person for the client to have that night, and she was! Thank you Gabby for rearranging your plans to help out the client, their family, and our Senior Helpers team. We appreciate you! 

Referral Bonus 

Attention Caregivers: As you may have noticed, we have been busy! To keep up with how busy we've been, we are hiring new caregivers. If you know of anyone who is caring and compassionate, dependable, and looking to join a Great Place to Work, please refer them to us. 

Dress Code Update

We get it - it’s hot! To help our caregivers stay comfortable, they will now be allowed to wear sleeveless shirts during their shifts. Caregivers, please be mindful to keep all undergarments covered and only choose tops that are appropriate for work.

August Caregiver Anniversaries

• Julie Clyde - 1 year 
• Chris Weigl - 8 years
• Sherle Cresswell - 2 years 

Thank you for your service! Senior Helpers is lucky to have you all on our team!

New Caregivers! 

Say hello to the newest faces of Senior Helpers! 

Tommie has been a caregiver for quite a few years! She enjoys helping people and knowing she makes a difference. When she's not working, she enjoys spending time with her pets or going to the bowling alley. 

Flor began caregiving in 1995. She became a CNA and has worked for different agencies and for private clients. She finds that helping others helps her to feel good. We're excited to see her at work! 

Birthdays

We only have one August birthday, which makes it all the more special! Happy Birthday:  

• Cathy Morelos, 8/18

New Phone System 

In order to improve our quality of service from our office team, we have upgraded our phone system! We are now operating on a VoIP system. What this means for you is the only phone number we are using for the office is 805-687-7777. Please delete any other phone number that you may have saved (805-687-7717 or 805-687-7779). Caregivers may continue to contact our oncall cell phone (“Olivia”) as before. 

This new phone system should provide better sound quality, less dropped calls, and a faster way to get you to the person you want to talk to!