Senior Care Academy - A Helperly Podcast

Small Gestures, Big Impact in Caregiving with Janelle Bird

• Helperly, Caleb Richardson • Season 3 • Episode 3

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What happens when a personal experience turns into a lifelong calling? Janelle Bird shares her journey from caring for her brother with Down syndrome to becoming a dedicated in-home caregiver for seniors. She highlights the deep connections she forms with clients, where trust, empathy, and small yet meaningful gestures make a lasting impact.

In this episode, we explore the universal experiences of seniors and individuals with disabilities, the power of presence in caregiving, and how small acts of kindness can transform lives. Janelle also offers insights on preventing burnout and sustaining passion in the caregiving profession. Join us for an inspiring conversation on the true power of genuine care.

Key Takeaways:

  • Caregiving is a two-way street – Supporting others also brings personal fulfillment.
  • Small gestures matter – Simple actions, like handing a client an item instead of making them search for it, can make a huge difference.
  • Building trust takes genuine interest – Engaging in conversations about a client’s life helps form deep connections.
  • Self-care is crucial – Taking time to recharge ensures caregivers can continue to give their best.
  • Dignity is key – Finding ways to help clients while preserving their independence makes caregiving more effective and meaningful.


Timestamps to Navigate the Episode:
0:00 – Introduction and Janelle’s background in caregiving

1:32 – Why connection is at the heart of caregiving

2:53 – The most rewarding aspects of working with seniors

5:23 – Small actions that create big impacts for clients

9:56 – Adapting to different clients and their unique needs

11:54 – Building trust with clients and their families

15:51 – How caregivers can prioritize their own mental well-being

17:45 – Lessons Janelle has learned from her clients

19:57 – What people should know about caregiving as a profession

21:34 – Advice for new caregivers entering the field

23:34 – Final thoughts: The power of a simple smile

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to another episode of Senior Care Academy, a HelpRelease podcast. I'm your host, caleb, and today we're diving into the heart of caregiving with a very special guest, janelle Burt. Janelle is one of HelpRelease's in-home caregivers and she's a rock star. Janelle has been a caregiver for a short time, but she's loved by every single one of her clients, and so today we're exploring her journey in the caregiving space, her favorite moments with seniors and her thoughts on what makes this work so rewarding. So let's jump right in First. Janelle, thanks for coming all the way down from Logan.

Speaker 2:

Sure welcome.

Speaker 1:

So tell us about your journey. What led you initially to working in the senior care industry?

Speaker 2:

Well, I worked and cared for my brother that lived with me for eight years. He had Down syndrome, oh, and so he just passed away, and I really wanted to continue to help people, because that's, I think, what I'm best at.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

I really like to do that.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. That's cool to have kind of like a personal connection to caregiving. And what do you think? Why do you think that caregiving is such a big role? Are you? Was it just really the only option to helping your brother? You were the one that raised your hand and said he can live with me.

Speaker 2:

Um, we were kind of best friends from the very beginning, so it was kind of um, it just naturally happened that way.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, um, that's so interesting, and so this is, I guess, pretty early for a golden spur question. But why do you think that you are such a care? What makes you so care, caring and caregiving, where naturally you guys just became best friends and you're just thrive on helping other people?

Speaker 2:

Um. I think it all has to do with um connection. I think we are as humans. We like to connect and we need to feel important, and when we can make others feel important, it also helps us to feel important.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

If we can have friendship, whether it's family or whether it's in work friendships I think that really goes a long way, and especially with the people that need our help the most they need that kind of friendship, that one-on-one that can get them through the hard parts or get them up in the morning or help them through the hard times in life. So it's a blessing to be able to help other people because really they're helping me right back.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I believe I agree totally like by helping other people and giving your energy and effort to them and seeing them thrive. It really is. It's like this weird, just symbiotic thing where you give to them and then your thrive. It really is. It's like this weird, um, just symbiotic thing where you give to them and then your cup gets filled more. That's why I love like service and and the space that we're in. I am curious, can you um, or I guess, what do you find most rewarding about working with seniors? So you originally started with your brother that had a, a mental, um, mental challenge, disability, and now there's, you know, seniors and then people with physical disabilities. What's different and what's the most rewarding aspect of it?

Speaker 2:

I think the things that are different is, you know, I'm not quite young, but I'm not quite old yet. But if I were to put it in my perspective, if I was that person, if I went through my life and I had this ailment, how would I feel? What would I want? So I kind of want to mirror you know, kind of like I want to say, Bambi, If you have nothing to say, don't say anything.

Speaker 2:

And I said, oh, but, it's kind of like it's a mirror of how I want to be treated. I want to treat them too. I think it's so important for them to know that they're not forgotten, that they're not helpless, that they're not worthless. They need to know that people love them and care about them, even in their struggles that they have.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think that that's a very interesting like it's an altruistic characteristic that a lot of people struggle with. You know, like it's so easy to say put yourself in their shoes, what do you think, or treat others as you want to be treated all like these isms things that people say, but to actually live, it is something that's totally different. Actually live, it is something that's totally different, and I think that that's cool, that you've been able to put in to practice a thing like putting their shoes on and being like it's the. The reality is that we are going to wear those shoes someday in our life. So, like being able to bring that to today and being like 30 years from now, I might be this person or I will be, like we're all going to get old. I want to do the things that I want the person that's in my shoes 30 years from now to do to me, so that's very cool.

Speaker 1:

Do you have any as you've been working with seniors? Do you have any like favorite stories or moments with clients, whether it's a funny one or has to do with what you just said of like really caring for them when they need it most?

Speaker 2:

I think I have a couple moments that I really feel overjoyed with Um yeah, with their improvements, but I think to feeling their gratitude for certain things, like I have this one client who is blind and instead of allowing her to reach in the sky, like where am I going? I grab her hand and I put certain items in her hand. Where does this go? Oh, here's your drink, or here's your bib, or something like that.

Speaker 2:

So she's not reaching, she's not guessing yeah, so I'm bringing my hand where I can see to hers, like, and so filling that gratitude for um, me doing that little tiny thing for her, like, fills me up, like all right, I've got it, you know, um. Another thing um is one of my clients, she, she uses a cane and I feel so proud when she gets out and she is using the cane. She's not she's very new at it, but she's really trying and you know, I just let her know I'm right behind her. So in case she loses her balance, you know I'm right there.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Or I give her voice instructions yeah, to the right just a little bit. Oh yeah, good job. Voice instructions yeah, to the right just a little bit. Good job, that's great. Hey, now step up. Oh, you did it, good job. Those little encouraging things or those little moments where she's doing so good makes me feel so good, and I know it makes her feel good because she's like yes, I got it, you know yeah um, I think too.

Speaker 2:

Uh, one of my other clients. She says I'm really positive, yeah, um I. She is paralyzed on one side and she's always talking bad about one side of her body and I'm like no, your body is so amazing, it's still here. Like you can make it work. Like you know, love yourself. You know it's okay that your hand is the way. You can't do anything bad. We're just going to put it right here. We love this hand.

Speaker 1:

You know, love this hand. You know like, yeah, so it's like helping them to love their self while encouraging them to um, have a great day. Yes, I'm like obsessed with everything you just said. That's so sweet, like every single aspect. There's so many things that um, maybe feel right, like they're common sense, but they're counterintuitive. Like it's common sense if somebody can't see to try to put something in their hand, but it's counterintuitive because I think people might think like oh, that might feel condescending or whatever.

Speaker 1:

Or like the thing of like how you're coaching a little bit to the left, good job. Like some people feel embarrassed to do stuff like that, but I think more often than not I don't know why it's like these weird norms that make us feel like that's wrong, or it's like condescending, but, like you said, your clients thrive in that as well.

Speaker 1:

Like people want to be praised, people want support, people want camaraderie and teamship. Team what am I trying to say? Teammates in their life at every age. And just because they're older doesn't mean that it's not okay to coach them and then celebrate with them rather than just like watching. So that's really cool. You did mention like a handful of clients. So what is it like to visit and care for multiple different clients at once? And then do you find that like challenging or more rewarding to have such a variety of care?

Speaker 2:

Honestly, I think it's rewarding because it teaches me so many different fields, teaches me while I'm helping them, they're teaching me, and so I'm learning so much more on the daily. You know, like, how I can help other people, or you know they go through this struggle. How can I make that better? I think one thing specific I did want to mention is, you know, I think when you have a health issue and you need someone to take care of you, even taking a shower or something, it's like kind of losing some of that dignity, right, right, yeah, um, and so for me, um, being able to, like help them bathe but then turning away, or allowing the water to go on them but turning away while they clean themselves or they do whatever they have to do personally gives that some of that dignity back. So it's like, um, knowing that and knowing that my um, my friend I like to call them friends because they kind of are you know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and that's the goal is to end up being friends with them rather than they're. It's just a, rather than being simply an, exchange of time, it's, you know, an exchange of, of feelings of happiness and and good feelings and sharing in the good and the bad and all that. So that's the goal is to be friends, so I love that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I just just taking that from one client and knowing that how she much appreciates that, then I can go to the next client. You know, do you shower, what is your shower like? It kind of gets me, it kind of teaches me how to act for another person. Or see, maybe this person likes specific things. Do you use specific things with the next client? Do you use specific things while you shower? So everybody is so different, but it's like taking the same technique to the next person and then molding it however that person needs it.

Speaker 2:

I like that a lot.

Speaker 1:

Have you ever encountered a client that is kind of resistant at first, like you said, with things that might feel like taking independence or dignity or some of the other things that you've mentioned? Has there been any sort of apprehension to care they've had experience with?

Speaker 2:

Maybe once or twice. I think it has to do with how that person feels for the day, is my experience. If they're having a bad day, they're going to be a little bit apprehensive or avoidance of certain things because they're having a bad day. I mean, if we have a bad day and we don't want to get out of bed, we're like, leave me alone.

Speaker 1:

You know right.

Speaker 2:

Everybody has that, so you just have to be positive and try and work through it. How was your day today? Oh, you know, it's like helping a loved one or helping a child that you love, or except you're helping your, the person that you're taking care of you know, so it's kind of helping them walk through that that heavy day, because nobody likes to be in that heavy cloud.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you've said it a few times and I'd really appreciate it. Where you're you? You're comparing seniors, older adults or people with disabilities to everybody else, and it's so true. I think so many people draw this line of like oh, they're old, but it's like if they're bored, or if you would have been bored doing the same thing, they're probably bored. If you would have a bad day because you had a terrible night's rest, they probably would have a bad day because they had terrible night's rest. And so making it like we're all, we all have brains, we all have human experience, and so like really taking away kind of the stigma that they're like people with disabilities or seniors are different, it's like no, they're just like us.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely.

Speaker 1:

I would say probably getting them to open up to say it's not you. I just had a really hard day and you're saying you know, okay, great, how can I help? It takes a lot of trust. How would you? How do you build trust with clients and then their families or other people that are involved in their care?

Speaker 2:

I think one way for me. I like to, whenever I go in and to see a client good morning, hi, how are you doing? You know, how was your week? How was your family Like get interested in their life, their family. Oh, your husband's sick. Oh man, I hope he gets better. You know prayers for him. Or your daughter's going to go on a trip Wow, how exciting. The more you interact with them and their family or the things that are important to them, the more they're going to appreciate it, the more they're going to trust you, and I really feel like that's kind of it's kind of like meeting a friend for the first time. You have to get to know each other and talk back and forth and be interested, and I think the more interested that you are, the more concerned that you put oh wow, you're going to go see your mom. Wow, I'm so excited for it.

Speaker 2:

You know concern that you um put.

Speaker 1:

Oh wow, you're gonna go see your mom. Wow that I'm so excited for it. You know, like, the more they feel excited about that, the more they want to be your friend, the more they can trust you. Yeah, yeah, focus on them. Um, this it's totally like a random thing, but there was a study that showed it was this difference between men and women. It's super tangential. We might not even put it in the podcast, but basically women find men attractive that are funny, that make them laugh, and men find women funny that laugh at their jokes. I think it's that's kind of the thing trust those who put a lot of focus back on them or like find them interesting or find them reliable if they're constantly asking about the other person, because the other person can talk about themselves and yeah and the favorite word in every language is their own name, like um.

Speaker 1:

So I love that kind of basic. It's again super common sense. But so many people try to do all these like fancy little tricks to gain trust and it's just like ask about their date.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's the simple things. Be excited to see them.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, as we've been talking, it sounds a lot like basically like caring for others is almost part of your life mission, like it's just so ingrained in who you are. I think a lot of people see caregiving as an entry level, like job, but it feels like you see it differently. How do you feel caregiving and what do you think sets caregiving aside from all of the other options as far as like employment and and the life calling goes?

Speaker 2:

Um, I think, you know, all those years working with my brother was, um, you know, kind of helped mold me a little bit. But, um, you know, I think that, um, for each client, um, you know, if they have some kind of ailment or they're older, I think a lot of times people forget about them or they feel like they're forgotten, and so each time you're with that person it's like you're devoting your time to them, you know, so you're giving them that attention that they need. You know, they probably get attention with their family, but family but it's kind of like being in a family you get a little bit of attention from mom or dad and then they're off doing their own thing. And so for me, working with the clients is really important to give them that attention, that love, that strength, that support, that encouragement, whatever all those things take to help with that person.

Speaker 1:

That's a good answer. I think caregiving as a career is very unique in that you are able to dedicate so much attention to the physical, mental and emotional well-being of another human being. There's not a ton of industries or positions or careers where that's your whole life is just like being able to give that attention to somebody else, and I think it has so many. We talked about the positives, where filling other people's cup in return fills yours, but sometimes it can be kind of tough.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it can be.

Speaker 1:

So how do you prioritize, like your own mental health and well-being, while also being able to show up? Hey, how are you doing every single day for those people that you're trying to to fill their cup?

Speaker 2:

um, to be honest, after I get done working, I'm pretty tired. Yeah, um, but I just take, you know, a few hours, or you know, if you don't have a few hours, just taking maybe a half an hour for yourself, listening to some songs, or you could write down the things of the day or go out with your friends, like, take that special time for you to give yourself a pat on the back for having a good day or for being there for someone else that really needed you. Rest is important so that when you go to see your client client, you can do the things that they need, like whatever, whatever that entails yeah, I like that.

Speaker 1:

I think a lot of the best caregivers, like you do, pour so much themselves into it and then they never reserve that special time for themselves yeah to be able to rejuvenate.

Speaker 1:

Rejuvenate that's a great word, and so obviously you have all the other maybe subpar kind of caregivers that aren't as all in on the well-being of their clients or their friends, but people like you taking that moment. I think that's a great call out, because there's a lot of people that work so hard every single day, trying their best to help others, and then they forget and then they end up burning out a few months later.

Speaker 1:

And it's like it wasn't the the, it wasn't the career, it was the lack of any sort of focus on yourself. So, um, we're getting. This has been a fast 20 minutes, getting pretty close to time. What? Um, I guess what's one thing that you've learned from visiting your clients that maybe has switched your perspective on life a little bit, maybe like a lesson they taught or a piece of wisdom from them?

Speaker 2:

Boy helping to get emotional with this one Um.

Speaker 1:

There are tissues, tissues on standby.

Speaker 2:

Thanks, um, to be honest, sorry to be honest, my clients are so, um, they give me a lot of strength because they get up, like one of my clients, she's paralyzed on one side and she gets up every single day. She takes a shower and does her hair and does her makeup and she wants to look good and she wants to tell, show her kids that she hasn't given up. And for me that's so. I'm not sure what the word is empowering, maybe Because I myself deal with depression and so it's when you have depression it's hard to get up and hard to, you know, keep on going and to watch my clients and them struggle every day but make it through the day and do it on a happy note is so empowering for me. And, um, so I guess I don't know I, I guess I'm just thankful for them. You know, it's kind of that whole 180.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's, that's beautiful. Um, I have, similarly, like people in my life, right that I'm very fortunate to not have depression or anything like that. But people in show up Um, it's, I could see and feel how empowering that is to see like somebody that physically, their life will never be quote, unquote, 100% compared to a regular standard. But they show up every single day and they're doing their best and they're they know that the next 20 or however many years of their life they have left this is their reality, but they don't let it stop them. That's awesome. Yeah, that's a really good answer. What is or what do you wish more people knew about? The caregiving profession? I feel like we've talked a lot about it as far as like how rewarding it is, but is there anything else that you think you wish people knew about? Helping others?

Speaker 2:

I wish people knew that it's hard work. It's not just an easy quick get money, here we go, kind of thing. I know when my neighbor's friend was talking to me about like oh, that might be something I can do and it's not a lot of work, but really it is a lot of work. But it depends on how the lot of work is categorized. The lot of work is like, you know, keeping on task. Is there something that needs to be done? Is there? Do they need specific things? Or is it more encouragement? Is it more? You know? Those kinds of things. I think it's kind of like taking on a child, you know.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

You know you encourage your child, you help your child, you guide your child, but also give your client the dignity and the power that they need to keep, to keep on going.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that was a really good answer. It's not like I said, it's a different kind of heart.

Speaker 1:

I think it's not it's not roofing where you're carrying 40 pound shingles up. But it is hard to balance all the other things, especially people that take it seriously, take the responsibility of another person's well-being into their own hands, because it can be quote unquote easy. If you're a bad caregiver, like if you show up and you don't care, yeah, it's an easy job. But if you actually want to help other people, it's a lot of work but rewarding.

Speaker 2:

It is.

Speaker 1:

What advice would you give for someone that's new to the senior care space, just getting into it, whether they're fresh out of high school or college or later in life, I don't know.

Speaker 2:

I guess the advice I would give is to love. Don't love the um disability, but love the person Um. The other thing is, if you see something that needs to be done, do it like it's such a simple thing but it means so much to that person, like if they can't clean their toilet, it's super easy clean their toilet.

Speaker 2:

If they drink out of the same water bottle every day, wash the water bottle before you fill it Like, um, it's, it's the little things that matter so much to them. It's not this great, giant big picture that everybody thinks it is, it's the tiny things that matter the most. Um and so, uh, if you feel inspired to do something, I'm sure there's a reason behind the inspiration and I'm sure the client will appreciate it. Also, I wanted to real quick say I think it's helpful too. If you ask clients, most times they'll tell you what happened to them.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I had this happen to me. Or 10 years ago I had a stroke and this You're like wow, so you had all this life and then you had this ailment that happened. This moment, yeah, Most people will tell you what happened. If they're not ready to tell you, they won't. But if you can have a deeper understanding of how they got to where they were, then you have a higher understanding of how to help them.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love that advice. Janelle, you're like the epitome of an incredible not even caregiver as like a title for a job, but caregiver as like a of what it means, somebody that actually cares and gives the care that's inside of them to other people to help them lift up.

Speaker 1:

It's been all of your answers have never once talked about you know, like you said, this grandiose, huge thing that I do, that I, I I it's all about, like, how much the clients are filling your cup, and I think that you're just incredible, um, is there any other things you'd like to share with our listeners before we go?

Speaker 2:

Um, I think the important thing to know is sometimes someone just needs a high or a smile to make their day a little bit better, and I think that's the same train of thought or the same feelings that we need to give our elders or those that have gone through harder hardships or that need our love and care. Like it's just the simplest things. You never know what someone is going through until you ask.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, love that, just harping on what you just said. And then last was you know if, if you feel inspired to smile, or way inspired, whatever you want to call it inspired and inkling a gut feeling to spot way inspired, whatever you want to call it inspired, an inkling, a gut feeling to spot to smile, wave, take out the trash, you know, pick up. Whatever the tiny little gesture is, there's something, it'll fill somebody else's cup and in turn, it's going to make you feel so much better. So always take action on those little things that seem small and it'll pay in massive dividends and rewards in your own life, so I like that a lot.

Speaker 1:

Janelle, again, thank you so much for coming in. Thank you for everything that you do. We're excited that you're at Helperly and, yeah, your clients just love you.

Speaker 2:

So we appreciate you a lot, appreciate you yeah.