- Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
By Jackson Crilley
DeafBlind Awareness Week Story Series Community Spotlight: Caroline Murichu and Kristina Tran
Settled in a Worcester home is Caroline Murichu. She is not alone, however, as Caroline currently works as an in-home caregiver for Kristina Tran, a 31-year-old DeafBlind woman who receives services through the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB).
Kristina is Caroline's first in-home client. In 2009, Caroline decided to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), transitioning from office work to healthcare. At the time, Caroline wanted to work in assisted living and group home settings rather than in a nursing home or long-term care facility. She wanted to see what it would be like to have an in-home client for whom she provided one-on-one care and support toward that person’s independence in the home and community.
One night, after work, Caroline filled out the application to become a caregiver. She was contacted the next morning and told that she had a match. Caroline’s match, Kristina, was 22 years old at the time. Kristina needed help generally to develop her independence. “We have not got to exactly where we want to be, but we have made a lot of progress,” Caroline said. In fact, nine years after being matched, both Caroline and Kristina are now looking to find another match who they can support.
For Kristina, having Caroline’s grandkids around the house was one of the happiest times of her life. According to Caroline, they have grown together. The grandchildren helped Kristina without even realizing they were. Kristina would see the children learning to do activities independently and she would pick up on those things herself.
Kristina attends a day program at Seven Hills during the weekdays where she is in her second year. Both Kristina and Caroline have been happy with it. Companionship with her friends and peers at the day program are beneficial to Kristina’s growth. “It’s almost like going to work,” Caroline said about Kristina’s participation in the day program. On top of her involvement with Seven Hills and Caroline, Kristina also meets with her MCB counselor, Peggy Feldman-Firinne, to work on skills including American Sign Language (ASL).
“Caroline advocates for Kristina’s best interests. She makes sure that Kristina has structure and expectations in her daily life which enables Kristina to be as independent as possible. Caroline is not just a provider for Kristina, rather she and her family treat Kristina as one of the family. Caroline has taken her to Kenya twice to visit her extended family. This is an example of Shared Living working wonderfully for both the provider and the individual,” Peggy said.
“I’ve learned a lot from this girl. I learned patience which is the best thing. I thought I had it at first, but I learned I didn’t,” Caroline said. “If you are working with people with disabilities, anyone you have in the house you have to have the patience with.” It took 3 years for Kristina to be able to put socks on without assistance, and still to this day she sometimes regresses and struggles to do it. “You will get there with patience and repetition. Whatever the case, they will do it and get there,” she said.
When asked about other resources available, Caroline mentioned Resources for Communities and People (RCAP) Solutions, a Worcester-based nonprofit organization that works to provide home modifications for those who require them for accessibility reasons. Until the home is sold, they never ask for the loan back. Through RCAP Solutions, Caroline was able to add a sensory room for Kristina, and their bathroom was modified.
When asked about advice she has for anyone considering a similar caregiving role, Caroline said, “If there’s somebody out there, I would ask them to open the door. I would advise someone, if willing, give them a home and God will bless them. It truly is a blessing; they will bring you a better sense of home…Give them a home, and let it be their home. Let them belong, let them be almost like your child…Don’t exclude them at all. If they feel at home, they do better, they will listen and pay attention when they know they belong,” Caroline added.
For everyone in the DeafBlind community, the meaning of DeafBlind Awareness Week is different. Caroline shared that it means a lot to her to know that people are celebrating and supporting the strength of the community. “It is something to appreciate, and to think about,” Caroline said.
