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Someone Like You:
Meet a Recipient
of the 2007 "Caregiver of the Year" Award:

Norma Bell, Hardy, Va.

Nominated by: Sharon Pease, Norma's daughter; read nominating letter

Care Recipient: Harold, Norma's husband

In Norma's words:

When I feel stressed: I take a walk and then have a cup of coffee.

My wish for my family: That we stay healthy and together.

I'm good at: Taking care of people.

My 2008 goals are: I love to travel. I want to visit my sister in Florida. We talk every Sunday morning.

Norma doesn't admit to many fears, but she does say she felt a bit of trepidation when she learned to scuba dive.

At 67.

Once she learned to scuba dive, she and her daughter traveled to exotic places (Cozumel and Belize among them) to practice their new-found passion. “I love to travel,” she says. She hopes to visit her sister in Florida soon.

During World War II, with her husband, Harold, stationed overseas, Norma moved to Cleveland with her father. She thought it best to stay busy as well as do her best to make money. So, she took a job—as a crane operator.

Now, at 85, Norma still lives an active life: She starts her day with with exercises, which includes yoga, before turning her energy to an hour of physical therapy with Harold. She walks two miles a day. She is active in her church, attending weekly Bible study classes, and is a member of a group of women in her community who meet monthly for discussions.

Harold is a bit of night owl—going to bed at 11a.m. Norma, though, rises at 6 a.m., requiring five hours of sleep each night.

Caregiving for Norma began when she was 14 after her mother died. She cared for her younger brother and sisters. Then, she cared for her father for 20 years until his death at 94 years of age. Perhaps the early training prepared Norma for what she believes to be a critical part of her caregiving role: Taking care of herself. “If I was ill, I wouldn't be able to be so generous with my time (in caring for Harold). I do take care of myself. My husband and I have had a nice life.

“I have to have a life of my own, (outside of caregiving)” Norma explains. “I'm his nurse and nurse's have their shifts.” She and Harold have been married for 67 years,

When I spoke with Norma, it was a cold, dreary day in December. Speaking to her lit up the world. She's energetic, compassionate and a fighter. When she speaks of her life and of the people she loves (her husband, her daughter) you can hear how she fights for them to have the best lives they can.

She tells me she's a hugger. One Sunday, her church's minister approached her. “Can I have a hug,” he asked. She quickly obliged.

I asked Norma what she's good at. She said, “Taking care of people.”

I think Norma's good at life. No, I think Norma is great at life.--Denise M. Brown

Meet Our Winners:

• Leon Beer, nominated Sharon Lebenkoff of Leeza's Place at Park Slope Geriatric Day Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
• MoZetta Zion, nominated by her self
• Patty Kearns, nominated by Nancy Lewin of Johnson & Johnson Caregiver Initiative
• Norma Bell, nominated by Sharon Pease, Norma's daughter
• Kimi Morton Chun, nominated by Sheila Warnock of ShareTheCaregiving, Inc.
• Aracelis Fernandez, nominated by Diana King of PSS Caregivers Support Program, Bronx, N.Y.

And, meet winners from previous years:

(Unforeseen difficulties caused us to put the contest on hold in 2005 and 2006.)

Looking for an article on a particular topic, such as getting along with your care recipient,
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