Care Partner of the Month: Eka Tsagareli
Care Partner of the Month:
Eka Tsagareli
“To give a client comfort in the moment is the most important thing.”
by Corey Bliss
We are delighted to honor Eka Tsagareli, who recently celebrated her 5th year anniversary as a Care Partner at Renewal Care. A successful endocrinologist hailing from the country of Georgia, she moved to New York in 2002. After receiving her CNA and HHA licenses, Eka went on to nursing school. She is now a newly-licensed registered nurse, and is excited to bring a new dimension of care to her clients.
“Renewal Care has enabled me to continue to work in the areas I’m passionate about, while furthering my medical career in the United States,” she explains. “Taking care of people and making their lives easier is what I know best.”
Eka brings her full self to every session with her clients, with an intuitive sense of compassion. "I enjoy working with clients who are in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease - I see them as 'normal people.' One of my clients was from South Africa, and she lived in the past, in her childhood. If she wanted to have a make-believe tea party, I would sit down and have tea right along with her. Why not?!”
For Eka, this person-centered approach may come naturally, but there is always more to learn. “The extra training that Renewal Care provides us every year helps tremendously,” Eka shares. “It is absolutely valuable, and helps me engage with my clients in new ways.” The collaborative, team-oriented environment “definitely helps us provide the best care. As Care Partners, we all share information between us about what works for each client.”
“Over the five years she has been with Renewal Care, Eka has worked with many clients whose needs are quite complex. Her proactive attention to clients’ changing needs and her advocacy on behalf of her clients make Eka one of our most extraordinary Care Partners,” says Colleen Pike-Blair, Renewal Care’s NY Care Management Director. In her free time, Eka enjoys reading, writing, and translating, as well as theater and opera.