By the Home Care Post Staff
Vicki Demirozu began her career with a “whirlwind introduction” in home care. It was anything but a typical first day.
As a newly minted branch manager with Kelly Home Care Services, she entered the industry amid literal chaos Aug. 24, 1992, the same day Hurricane Andrew made landfall in South Florida, devastating the region. Terrified, yet in awe, she witnessed the commitment of the inside team and caregivers she had yet to meet, who stepped up to help in the most difficult circumstances. That experience left an imprint that she has carried ever since: caregivers are asked to carry huge responsibility, often without sufficient backup or support.
Over the next three decades of her career, that realization set the tone for a career defined by resilience, adaptability and a deep commitment to caregivers. She has always operated with a fundamental principle: caregivers deserve as much support as the individuals they serve.
“Caregiving can be isolating work,” she said, but when caregivers feel supported, respected, and equipped, everything about the care experience is changed, she said.
She added, “I gained invaluable knowledge about this industry from the caregivers and clinicians I worked alongside. I saw how they could walk into a home and change someone’s life. That’s the magic of home care.”
Her career path reflects that commitment: She worked at Kelly Home Care more than 15 years, at ResCare almost two years (which acquired Kelly Home Care) and at Interim HealthCare for 14 years.
From Miami to Los Angeles to Charlotte in a progression of leadership roles, Demirozu built a reputation as a leader who not only understood the operations of home care but also the lived experience of caregivers. She didn’t just lead from the office — she spent her career rolling up her sleeves: mentoring caregivers on her team for double-digit years, stepping in when transportation fell through and listening to those delivering care. Long before “workforce logistics” became an industry buzzword, she was focused on what really mattered — keeping caregivers connected, supported and seen.
“Caregivers are at the center of the care continuum,” Demirozu said. “They bring dignity and comfort into homes, facilities and hospitals every day — yet their voices are often overlooked. We cannot sustain quality care unless we also sustain them.”
A Personal Turning Point
A personal healthcare scare in 2022 — a ruptured appendix requiring a three-hour emergency surgery — was a turning point for Demirozu. She was treated at a smaller rural hospital and could not have imagined a better outcome from that weeklong hospital stay. She was amazed by the extraordinary care given.
“From the woman who tidied up my room to the lady that brought me the best meal of my life, which was a container of Jello, the aides, the nurses, and literally every member of the care team treated me like I was the only patient in the hospital … they all showed such compassion, even when I wasn’t at my best,” she recalled. “My goal from that time forward was to determine a way that every client, patient and care recipient could have the same care experience that I did.”
That clarity led her to her founding Giving Care with Grace.
Giving Care with Grace: A New Approach
Giving Care with Grace is a training company devoted to strengthening caregiver support.
Demirozu defers to other industry leaders and local educators for technical skills training, while she zeroes in on the human side of caregiving— communication, empathy, professional boundaries and compassion. The program includes six modules with 28 lessons that can be in-person, virtual, train-the-trainer, or online, which is launching this fall.
Demirozu describes Giving Care with Grace as approaching training in a boutique, concierge-type style. What makes it different is how it was built, and who better to ask than the individuals who taught her the most valuable lessons in care throughout her career: professional caregivers.
When building the company, she reached out to the local Charlotte, North Carolina, Visiting Angels location for input. She also hosted town-hall style caregiver group meetings, listening sessions and solo interviews, recording experiences and leaning on those insights to shape a training series around their voices.
Why Soft Skills Matter
Caregivers are a critical component in the care continuum. They enter homes, communities, facilities, and hospitals every day, often with little recognition, to deliver comfort, dignity, and life-changing support. Yet too often, their needs — their well-being, their training, their voices — are overlooked, Demirozu said. “As much as we rely on caregivers today, that need will only continue to grow,” she said. “We must be prepared to serve our clients, patients and residents and equip the next generation of caregivers with ALL of the tools for success.”
When Demirozu trains caregivers, she often starts with one simple question: When you think of caregiving, what is the first word that comes to mind?
The answers, almost always, are compassion and empathy. “That’s the heart of caregiving,” she said, “But empathy and compassion only come alive when paired with good communication and clear professional boundaries. That creates trust and trust transforms care.”
Too often, organizations focus so much on physical care, checking the boxes — and they overlook the importance of clear communication, which touches all parts of the organization, Demirozu said. “It really starts from the inside out,” she said. “We have to mirror the behavior and actions that we want from others.”
Looking Ahead
Demirozu advocates for a model of care that includes caregivers participating at the center of conversations. She highlights three critical principles that allow caregivers to thrive. Respect is a standard because caregivers deserve recognition as professionals, not just someone to fill an assignment or a shift. Create support systems to continue building relationships with your caregivers with things like intentional check-ins, mentorship, and peer connections to combat isolation. Not only to incorporate, but to require Soft Skills as a standard in caregivers’ core training with the same rigor as the technical skills.
“Even in just a few minutes, when someone feels heard and knows that they…….and what they do matters, it makes an enormous difference.”
As healthcare leans more heavily on technology, which is incredible in so many different ways, I worry that opportunities for human interaction are not always at the forefront of industry discussions.
“Thirty years ago, caregivers came into the office to turn in timecards and pick up paper checks. Those were moments of connection,” she said. “Today, with everything automated, we have to be intentional about creating those touchpoints. Just a few minutes of positive interaction and someone feeling that they have been heard can make all the difference in whether a caregiver stays—or walks away.”
To quote the famous Maya Angelou- People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel – and that’s what Giving Care with Grace is all about.
