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Caregiver Grove Home Health Care
“Legends and a Legacy”
Guest Column
Our family descends from a long generation of
caregivers. As far back as we can trace our family history
and the stories shared and lived by previous generations, it
is embedded in our family’s DNA to love, serve, and care for
others and their well-being.
Rev. F.L. Durden was our grandfather, he was
a school teacher and African Methodist Episcopal Minister,
for over 50 years he served, cared for and pastored some of
the largest A.M.E churches in the south. He pastored
at St. Stephen’s A.M.E Church, in Toledo Ohio from 1972
until his death 1979. Being a leader of a church requires
great leadership skills, patience and humility. His
commitment to his congregation and community required him to
take on many roles. His most memorable attribute was his
genuine love and compassion he showed towards everyone. We
are blessed as his grandchildren to have learned, and
witnessed his life-long commitment to others, his spirit
live in us.
Other ancestral legends that have contributed
to our family’s dedication to serving, and caring for others
is our grandmother, Commilla Johnson Durden, her mother, our
great-grandmother, Gillie Oates Johnson and sister Delilah
Johnson Ferguson who were school teachers in Tunica
Mississippi. Their names are displayed in the Tunica Museum
as African-American school teachers in the 1930’s through
1960’s. These women were among the first African-American
school teachers in the South who bravely cared for, taught,
nurtured and served students, in spite of the danger and
ridicule. Their relentless pursuit to educate, serve and
care for others is embellished in our hearts as descendants,
and has caused us to press and pursue our goals and dreams.
Every summer our father, John Tooson III
,would take us to Cincinnati, Ohio to visit our grandparents
John and Lucille Tooson during our summer visit we would
spend time playing with the many foster children that they
provided a safe, caring and loving home too. The amazing
part about being born into the Tooson family is that
everyone at grandma’s house was treated like family. There
was never a difference made between grandchildren and foster
children. We were taught by our grandparents at an early
age to love, and care for others. By the example they set
when they opened their home and hearts up to care for others
this influenced us all.
Our mother, Arnethia Tooson, was an educator
for the Toledo Public Schools for over 32 years. Her
numerous certifications in regular and special education
earned her the title of Department Chair of the Special
Education Department. Her true passion was caring for
orthopedically handicapped and developmental disabled
students. Every holiday she took great pride in preparing a
feast for her students. This was important for her because,
she knew that for some children this may be the only holiday
meal they received. She was concerned about her students’
needs being provided for and that they were viewed the same
as “normal” students. Her classroom was a safe place for
students with handicaps and disabilities to learn, grow, and
feel accomplished in their education. Being a teacher of
students with disabilities requires more than teaching
skills. It requires interpersonal skills, love, and
compassion not only for the students, but the family as
well. As children of Mrs. Tooson, we have been blessed with
the privilege to have her values, beliefs and ways as a part
of our bloodline. It is natural for us to place value on
others cares and needs. It is our sincere hope that as we
follow in our mother’s footsteps, we model the same
commitment and love that she has for others.
In 2009, our mother suffered a severe stroke;
this was a severe shock to our family. After being forced
out of the rehabilitation nursing facility after 3 months
and still needing 24 hour care, this left us wondering how
we would provide quality care for our mother, as she
recovered at home. This wasn’t an easy task since we all
have full-time jobs, and the youngest sibling lives four
hours away. We decided to come together and split the
responsibilities with each of us having a particular role.
We also hired a state-tested nurse assistant to assist and
care for our mother while we worked, and the grandchildren
assisted in her care as well.
Although, this was trying and emotional time
for us, we managed to maintain stability and great care for
our mother. While caring for our mother, we realized how
important it is to have a responsible, compassionate, and
trustworthy caregiver. Research shows (www.stroke.org) and
our family believe this is the reason our mother was able to
overcome and heal emotionally, physically, and mentally.
If we could ask society any question….we
would ask them are they prepared to deal with or handle the
sickness of a loved one should they become elderly and need
daily assistance? How would you ensure your loved one
receives quality care if you lived in another city or
state? Although, these were questions that we had to answer
ourselves, they are the same questions that caused our
family to follow their calling and help others provide the
same quality care for their loved ones.
With a bloodline of ancestors who were
legends and caregivers in many forms, we are now blessed to
carry on the legacy of caring for and serving others through
our family business. At Caregiver Grove Home Health Care,
we offer quality, committed and trusted services for your
family members and loved ones. At Caregiver Grove Home
Health Care “Your Family is Our Family” and we will strive
to be the perfect solution for your family’s needs.
If you are in need of our services, please
visit our website at
www.caregivergrove.com
or call our office at (844)270-0679.
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