With a passion for helping others, Lacy picked the right career path to bring out her nurturing and caring skills to look after adults in their homes as they age.

<p><em>Lacy Pettie is currently employed as the Lead Site Coordinator at PACE in Battle Creek, Michigan. Cross Country Workforce Solutions Group staffs the carers for PACE centers. After dabbling in childcare and working at fast-food chains, she sought out homecare as a place where she could find more value and meaning in her work. With a passion for helping others, Lacy picked the right career path to bring out her nurturing and caring skills to look after adults in their homes as they age.</em></p><h2>What inspired you to become a home caregiver?</h2><p>"I love caring for the elderly. It's a lot of fun. I consider the participants to be like my grandparents, and I care for them as part of their family. Some of them would even think of me as an honorary member of their family. So I put my heart into it, care for them the best I can, and do anything to brighten their day."</p><h2>What do you enjoy most about the work?</h2><p>"Working with people in their home provides an opportunity to get to know them personally and intimately – in a space where they feel comfortable and safe. Learning about each individual and their individual preferences makes it easier for me to care for them and meet their personalized needs."</p><h2>What's your relationship like with the people you care for?</h2><p>"It's impossible not to get attached to the participants when you take care of them daily, no matter what the experts tell you when you get started. When I first started, I would be negatively affected when people passed away. I took days off to pull myself together. But over time, I got some training, experience and perspective to help me learn the coping skills to navigate the process of life and its meaning. It's a beautiful time to be able to put people at ease and bring them hope, joy and happiness as their life transitions."</p><h2>What tips would you give others thinking about a career as a home caregiver?</h2><p>"Caregiving is a genuinely wonderful and meaningful career choice. You can't take a career like this for the money or glamour as it is your heart driving the work.</p><p>&nbsp;Three tips I would give someone starting:</p><ul><li>1. Draw the line on what personal information you share. Your visit is their whole life for some people because you are with them every day, so whatever you share will be important to them. I like to share small details but not get into the weeds on what's going on in my life.</li><li>2. There is a massive demand for caregivers with good career prospects. I would recommend it as a career choice. But make sure you take care of yourself along the way and don't let yourself get worn down or burned out.</li><li>3. And finally, get training and read up on how to process your emotions as people move through the cycle of life. This is a skill that needs to be learned.</li><li>&nbsp;</li></ul><p><strong>Would you like to explore if a career as a home caregiver is right for you? Please reach out to our recruiters at </strong><a href="mailto:homecarerecruitingteam@healthcaretalent.net" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>homecarerecruitingteam@healthcaretalent.net</strong></a><strong> to get started or visit </strong><a href="https://bit.ly/CaregiverCareers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>https://bit.ly/CaregiverCareers</strong></a><strong> today!</strong></p>

Cross Country Healthcare

Meet Lacy Pettie: A Day in the Life of a Home Caregiver

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