Since she was a child, Chastity (Chaz) Anderson Spencer has found joy in helping others. Her kind heart and keen ability to put her compassion into action led Chaz to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) nearly 20 years ago. For the past 11 years, Chaz worked as a CNA for Homeland Hospice, a nonprofit hospice program that serves communities throughout central Pennsylvania.

Chaz connected with Homeland after she and her family relocated to central Pennsylvania from Bronx, New York. From the start, Homeland’s mission to provide high-quality, compassionate care aligned perfectly with how Chaz interacts with patients and their families. More than a decade later, Chaz still thrives on helping others.

“My patients lift me up,” Chaz says. “They give me more than I could ever give them.”

Over the years, Chaz has formed deep relationships with many patients and their families. She fondly remembers a woman who was in her last few weeks of life, and reminded Chaz to show herself grace and forgiveness when life gets challenging. For Chaz, this memory has become a mantra for life’s ups and downs.

Chaz enjoys participating in the Homeland Hospices 5K and Memory Walk which provides a safe and supportive event for families to honor their loved ones, while supporting the work of Homeland Hospice. The event gives Chaz an opportunity to reconnect with families she has worked with over the years.

“I love seeing the warm smiles and friendly faces,” Chaz adds. “It feels good to know I have helped others through my work.”

Homeland Hospice CNAs are an integral part of the care team and often get to spend the most time with patients. They provide personal care with tasks like bathing, grooming, reminding patients about medications, and assisting with light housekeeping. All services are customized to meet the individualized needs of patients and their families.

Over the years, family and friends have asked Chaz if her work weighs on her heart. She is quick to remind them of the beauty she sees in the love of families and the peace and comfort she brings to those in need. She highly recommends the CNA profession to anyone with a kind heart and open mind.

“Treat patients with dignity and always listen,” Chaz says. “Sometimes all a patient needs is a friend.”

The role of CNAs and the importance of increasing the number of people in the profession has skyrocketed as the Baby Boomer generation ages. To help meet this need, Homeland has an accredited CNA training program to develop current talent at Homeland as well as recruit and train new employees for all of Homeland’s work.

For more information about Homeland Hospice, call (717) 221-7890.