Some people spend a lifetime searching for a career they are passionate about.
For Shamia Fitch her passion for helping others led her to her lifelong career as a caregiver. It started when her sister was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of three.
“I became a caregiver at a young age taking care of her,” Fitch said. She and her family spent years taking care of her sister until she passed away at 21. But the thought of caring for others remained in her heart. Fitch has been a Certified Nurse Assistant for 25 years now.
Fitch was soon serving in a supervisory role and said her staff often complimented her for her abilities and confidence.
“Confidence doesn't come so easy for everybody,” she said. “People can be shy, or they don't always know how to do things or, different things in life could have beaten them down.”
She said caregivers can get burned out sometimes, patients can too, so she created C.N.A. on Wheels to help family members and friends care for their loved ones.
“I started going around helping people,” she said. “Even last week, I met someone I felt like God just strategically put in my path. She had no idea who I was, or what I did, and she was talking to someone else about taking care of her mom and needing help. She was saying how she wished she had a caregiver group. She wished she had some help with her mom. I walked over to her and started talking and letting her know, that’s what I do and she burst out crying.”
Fitch goes to homes, churches, organizations, and assisted living facilities.
“Wherever they are, I'm pulling up to help you feel less stressed and prepared,” she said. “I assist with bathing, medication reminders, sitting with them out on the porch. They may just want companionship or help getting dressed. They may need me to go to the pharmacy to pick up their medication. Maybe they don't have a car, I can take them to their doctor's appointments.”
Recently Fitch helped the mother of one of her clients as she transitioned into an assisted living facility. She was asked to check in and help her get acclimated and assist in getting her dressed, bathed and preparing her daily itinerary. She explained what she would be doing for the day and guided her in getting ready.
Realizing the need for care for the elderly Fitch created the Adopt a Grandparent program.
"Which all ties into C.N.A. on Wheels because we have so many elderly seniors out here who don't get visits and don't get phone calls,” she said. “Nobody's checking up on them. So, I thought, what can I do out here in the community to help? They're feeling forgotten about. Family members need help. It’s a big vision for me, something that I'm passionate about.”
Fitch insists that everyone under her and her team’s care is treated with the utmost dignity and respect. She also insists on helping fellow C.N.A.’s through her coaching program. She said her career requires periodic recertification covering 24 skills and sometimes C.N.A.’s may need a coach to help them learn the proper methods.
“I can't recertify them, but I can help them with the skills because a lot of times what I'm seeing is, and I've seen this a lot because I've been a CN.A. for 25 years, they need help with the mock skills,” she said. “It could be perineal care or help with taking blood pressures because they could be stressed out. They might not be using the proper method to dress a person or help a client to move from their bed to a wheelchair.”
She said being readily available to clients and fellow C.N.A.’s is her way to make sure things are managed properly and in a less stressful manner.
"It eases your nerves,” she said.
The native Chattanoogan said she has a flexible schedule and keeps a meticulous calendar staying organized and efficient.
If you need her assistance, you can text or call (423) 681-8492, or DM her on her social media pages:
- Facebook: facebook.com/shamia.fitch
- Instagram: instagram.com/mia_the_cna_coach/
- TikTok: tiktok.com/@shamia.fitch