From Caregiver to Student
Client spotlight: Norma R.
For more than 40 years, Norma R. devoted her life to caring for others.
As a certified nursing assistant and caregiver, she spent decades helping older adults—often living in their homes so she could provide around-the-clock care. It was work she loved.
“Nursing always has been a love for me… making sure people are okay,” she said. “If I could do it again, I absolutely would do it again.”
But the physical demands of spending years lifting and caring for others eventually took a toll on her own health. As problems with her knees and mobility worsened, she could no longer continue the work that had defined much of her life.
Many of the people Norma cared for couldn’t afford traditional caregiving arrangements, so she accepted room and board in exchange for her services. Each time a client passed away, she found herself starting over. Eventually, after her last client died, she exhausted her savings paying for hotel rooms before spending nearly a year sleeping in her car.
“I never even thought at any time in my life that I would be in a place of homelessness,” she said. “Don’t ever say what won’t happen, because you never know what’s going to happen.”
When Norma connected with CaringWorks, her health was declining and she had reached what she describes as “my wit’s end.”
Today, Norma has a place to call home.
“They [CaringWorks] got me into my own place and furnished everything,” she said. “Everything started looking up from there.”
The stability of having a home has changed her perspective in ways she never expected.
“Once you’ve been homeless, that apartment looks like a mansion,” she said. “You appreciate being able to come home, put your key in the door, and relax. You’re home.”
Her experience also changed how she thinks about homelessness.
“Just because someone has been in a place of homelessness doesn’t mean they’re illiterate or unable to comprehend things,” she said. “You just happened upon a hard place in life.”
Now in her early 60s, Norma is writing a new chapter.
After years of putting others first, she decided it was finally time to invest in herself. She enrolled in an online Human Resources Management certificate program through Post University. She recently completed her first term with a 4.0 GPA.
“I’ve always wanted to go back to school,” she said. “I was just sitting here one day and thought, ‘You know what? I’m just going to enroll.'”
For Norma, the classroom represents something she’s always valued: the opportunity to keep learning and growing.
“I’m always open to learning more things,” she said. “Instead of just sitting here having an idle mind, I decided to enroll in school.”
Her advice to others is simple.
“Don’t ever think you’re too old to learn. Don’t ever think you’re too old to start over. At 62 years old, I feel like it’s okay to start over.”
Her journey—from caring for others, to experiencing homelessness, to finding stability and pursuing new goals—is a reminder that difficult circumstances don’t have to define the future.
“I’m excited about my life,” she said. “I’m in a peaceful place right now.”
Help more people break the cycle of homelessness.
About CaringWorks:
Built on the single idea that all people—no matter their social or economic standing—should have a chance to improve their quality of life, CaringWorks has served thousands of clients since our inception in 2002. Since then we have grown exponentially to become one of Georgia’s leaders in providing permanent supportive housing. We serve hundreds of individuals each year through unique programs and services that are specifically tailored to the needs of those facing chronic homelessness.
Donate today to help us end homelessness.
July 2026