Margaret Riehl and her family have already dealt more than their fair share of adversity, but she was all smiles at Chatham's Portuguese Club Thursday.
Riehl was one of 66 caregivers - both professional and personal - who the Erie St. Clair LHIN Community Care Access Centre honoured as "Heroes In The Home."
Riehl cared for her husband while he had Alzeimer's. Two years after he passed away, her son had to get both of his legs amputated. Not only does she now take care of him, but her daughter recently suffered a stroke.
"[It's about] making the person feel important, and give them dignity,"
Heroes In The Home Nominee Margaret Riehl (Left) and her neighbour Liz Stevenson, November 17, 2016 (Photo by Jake Kislinsky)
says Riehl. "Sometimes when you're ill, you need someone to advocate for you to make sure someone in the health system treats you with dignity."
Her neighbour Liz Stevenson nominated her for the award. She says Riehl also helped her when Stevenson and her husband suffered strokes themselves.
"She has been able to keep her children from being on the system using CCAC, and she's opened other people's eyes on what they should be doing in their community," says Stevenson."
Another nominee, Peggy Hoover, takes care of her husband who also has Alzeimer's. While she says her days are trying at times, she just takes it day by day.
"I get frustrated and angry, that's the worst thing to do," says Hoover. "Don't do as I do, do as I say: be more patient than I am."
A total of 129 caregivers are being honoured by the CCAC this year, across Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia Lambton.
