By Sophia Mastice
For HDMedia
On a recent weekday morning, Tiffany Moon was at the Charleston home of one of her clients, helping her water plants and get ready for the day. The client she was with June 30 was Patricia “Pat” Garner, 81, a former teacher and the mother of actress Jennifer Garner, known for her roles in films such as 2004’s “13 going on 30” and 2007’s “Juno.”
Moon has cared for Pat Garner for three years, which Garner says has been “wonderful.” Moon has another client, Dave Marshall, 85, who is also a retired teacher.
Moon, 41, a Charleston native, has been named this year’s winner of the Visiting Angels National Caregiver of the Year Award. She was honored with a ceremony in June at a Visiting Angels conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. She also received $10,000 as recognition for her service. She was selected from more than 100 nominations submitted nationwide, according to a news release from Visiting Angels, a nationwide home care company.
Moon started working with Garner after she lost the ability to drive.
“I had to give up driving because I was having seizures,” Garner said. “So, we got a Visiting Angel to drive me.”
Moon has worked with the Charleston Visiting Angels office as a caregiver since 2019 in addition to working as a mentor, guiding nearly 100 fellow caregivers through the program during her career, according to the Visiting Angels.
“For me, it’s remarkable, because caregiving is part of who I am,” Moon said. She added that caregiving is “something that fills my soul.” In addition to being a caregiver, Moon also has two children, a daughter, 22 and son, 18.
“I feel so honored to be named Caregiver of the Year,” Moon said in the release. This recognition means more to me than words can express. I truly love my job, the people I work with and the families I have the privvilege of serving every day.”
About the award
Now in its seventh year, the Annual National Caregiver Award is recognized by the Visiting Angels as an honor given annually to “caregivers who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to their clients, families, and the Visiting Angels mission,” according to the Visiting Angels website.
Founded in 1998, Visiting Angels is a home care business with operations across all 50 states and Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. With 600 offices across the country, they are dedicated to providing at-home care to senior citizens who require assistance.
“Tiffany embodies everything Visiting Angels aims to demonstrate, namely compassion, professionalism and providing a genuine human connection to our clients,” Scott Parrish, president of Visiting Angels, said in the news release.
“Her kindness and empathy are exactly what every family hopes to find in the person caring for their loved ones,” Parrish said in the news release, “and we’re happy to recognize her outstanding efforts.”
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