Juliet Sternberg, LMSW Brooklyn
“I was so impressed with the genuine, compassionate and professional care provided to my in-laws as patients and to us as family.”
Juliet is a Social Worker with Calvary@Home in Brooklyn. Originally a dairy farmer from West Wales, Juliet began working at a Lutheran retreat center in the mountains of Washington State when she moved to the US. There, she lived closely with others and learned the power of empathy, agape-love and the human spirit.
She later began working with mentally-ill adults as a case manager, where she had her first experience with end-of-life care and felt drawn to her patients. She had the opportunity to listen to wonderful life stories, which she found quite inspirational. She was then able to combine this with her love of animals as she began one of the very first home “hospice” programs for pets. “My spouse is a Veterinarian, and we found similar issues in our support group incredibly similar to those faced by families we care for at Calvary.” Says Juliet.
Q: What attracted you to Calvary@home?
A: In 2005, Juliet had firsthand experience with Calvary@Home in her home when we cared for her in-laws. “I was so impressed with the genuine, compassionate and professional care provided to my in-laws as patients and to us as family.” Juliet remarks. She thought that if the opportunity presented itself, she’d love to work for Calvary as well, and it later did. As a Social Worker for Calvary@Home, Juliet makes memorable connections with many patients and their families.
Q: Tell us a memorable story or encounter with a patient/family.
A: I find that people facing the end of their lives are more inclined to be more like their “real” selves. Susan was one of those people—a recently retired 67-year-old she had been looking forward to a rich retirement after a brilliant career. Instead, she was facing an abbreviated, cancer-ridden end of life. But rather than being depressed about her fate, over the course of several weeks of deep conversations, Susan was reflective about her achievements, philosophical about her relationships, and curious about what was to come: about heaven, what it might be like and about whom she might meet or see again. Susan’s willingness to be fully present to her end-of-life experience and her spirit of optimism in the face of suffering was profoundly inspirational to me.
Q: Who are you outside of work? What are your interests and hobbies?
A: Numerous! I’m a life-long fan of Liverpool Football Club, I also love long distance bicycling, kayaking and hiking with the dog near our cottage in the Finger Lakes. I love baking bread, making kombucha and cooking vegan feasts for friends.