'I'm ready and now, I'm doing it': Wilmington woman commits to education

Juanna Elliot spends her days taking care of people.

In addition to being a mom, Elliot, a Wilmington resident, works as a caregiver for Griswold Home Care. Currently, she serves two regular clients, with her first shift from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, and the second shift from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

She has one day off each week, and on another, she works a shortened day on her first shift.

Those days, she explained, are set aside for school. Elliot began the certified nursing assistant program at Cape Fear Community College in January, fulfilling a dream years in the making.

“I had been saying, ‘I want to be a CNA’ for the longest time, and I just kept working and kept working, and then said, ‘Well, I think I’m ready,’ and now, I’m doing it,” Elliot recalled.

She took the first step and registered for the certified nursing assistant class in November 2023. Soon after, she learned that she would be receiving a $1,500 scholarship to help with the cost.

“It was to my surprise,” Elliot said.

The scholarship is through the Jean Griswold Foundation, named in honor of Jean Griswold, the founder of Griswold Home Care, who died in 2018. Elliot was one of 14 caregivers across the country selected to receive the scholarship in its first cycle.

Theo Hinckley, nursing supervisor at Griswold’s Wilmington office, nominated Elliot for her dedication.

“This lady, honestly, from the time she started working for us, whenever we were in a bind and needed somebody to fill in, she was going,” Hinckley said. “You could call her anytime, and she’d say, ‘Yes, I’ll go.’ She might have to re-arrange her life to do it, but she would do it.”

Hinckley added Elliot is also loved by her clients, and she’s very determined when she sets her mind to something.

“I knew if she took this class that she would do what she had to do,” Hinckley added.

Maryanne Murray, chair of the Jean Griswold Foundation, agreed that Elliot’s commitment to her clients is what helped her application stand out from the more than 100 applicants.

“It was her passion for being a caregiver and helping others and wanting to further her career as a CNA,” Murrary said.

More: How a CNA rotation in the COVID-19 unit helped a Leland woman find her future career

Currently, Elliot’s position as a caregiver allows her to assist clients with certain aspects of their daily living. Obtaining the nursing assistant certification will allow her to perform more specialized care for her clients, and she will be able to accept higher-paying cases.

Elliot will complete her program in May and said she’s looking forward to being able to provide a higher level of care for people in the community. For now, she plans to continue working at Griswold because the company values caregiver-patient relationships, pairing home health staff with clients their personalities fit.

“The staff is lovely, and the clients that I have I absolutely love,” Elliot said.

As for the future, Elliot said she hasn’t ruled out continuing her education.

“I don’t know about being a nurse, but I’d like to get my CNA level two,” she explained.

Renee Spencer is the community engagement editor for the StarNews. Send inspiring and uplifting story ideas to her at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington, NC, caregiver receives scholarship to further her education