Tina Araya Named 2023 West Caregiver of the Year

Maxim Healthcare Services is thrilled to announce that Tina Araya, LPN, is our 2023 West Region Caregiver of the Year! The Caregiver of the Year award recognizes nurses, caregivers and behavioral health professionals who embody our values and demonstrate excellence with their patients and communities. Tina works out of our Oxnard, CA, office and has been with Maxim for two years.

Tina’s dedication to her patients is truly inspiring. Her nursing experience and knowledge shine through in every one of her patient interactions. She consistently puts her patients’ needs first and delivers quality care with a compassionate spirit.

Since 2022, Tina has cared for Larry, a man with ALS who relies on a ventilator. “Larry was diagnosed with ALS two years ago,” recalls Virginia, Larry’s wife. He used to be very active—he played basketball, football and was a runner.” Since being assigned to his case, Tina has built a connection with Larry and his family and jumped into providing care.

Tina’s impact on Larry’s life is immeasurable. She was recently asked to help Larry attend his son Nathan’s wedding. Tina attended the wedding and helped care for Larry so he could watch his son exchange vows with his beautiful bride. “Without Tina, he could not have been there,” Oscar Valles, Operations Manager, shared. “She is simply an example of who we strive to be as an organization. She spreads love into everything she does and is a contestant definition of patience and positivity.”

Tina remains committed to her patients despite experiencing tragedy in her own life. Tina unexpectedly lost her son three years ago and now raises her grandson. Having gone through challenging circumstances, she is able to empathize and connect with the needs of her patients and their families. She shared, “I was motivated to get back into home health… I had suffered some loss in my own life and I felt that the best thing I could do would be to be useful to another human being.”

Melanie Perelman, RN, a Clinical Supervisor, summed it up, “Care is not only a word to describe what Tina does for a living, it is who she is as a person. She spreads love into everything she does and is the constant definition of positivity.” She continued, “It seems to me Tina’s number one priority is making sure she lives her life in the service of others, and she loves doing it.”

Tina is one of four regional winners selected from hundreds of nominations across the country. One of our regional winners will be chosen as the National Caregiver of the Year at this year’s award ceremony.

Watch Tina’s video to learn more about how she embodies Maxim’s values while helping Larry stay engaged with his family.