Personal Support Worker alumna finds success as an award-winning health care hero
Jan. 10, 2025
For many professionals approaching retirement, it’s a time when they start reflecting on their careers, enjoying the fruits of their labour, and planning how to spend their newfound downtime – but not Holly Martin (class of 2014).
At the age of 59, she boldly decided to leave a lucrative career in telecommunications to follow her long-standing passion for helping vulnerable people.
Holly took a leap of faith, enrolling in Georgian’s Personal Support Work (PSW) certificate program to chart an exciting new path forward.
Holly Martin was a 2024 Premier’s Awards nominee in the health sciences category.
Returning to the classroom as a mature student
A dramatic career transition and return to school like this can be daunting for any mature student. For Holly, her trepidation was compounded by the fact she suffers from short-term memory loss due to a car collision earlier in her life.
But thanks to the incredible support she says she received from her program co-ordinator, instructors and Student Services during her time at Georgian, she overcame her challenges and made the Dean’s List.
I’m so thankful to my professors, who encouraged me and kept me motivated even when I wanted to give up. The classes and field placements helped me discover my strengths and weaknesses while developing my skills and applying my life experiences to prepare me for my new career path.
Growing a labour of love – and an award-winning business
Following graduation, Holly continued her mission to make a difference in the lives of others with the launch of her home-care business in 2015. Touch a Heart Homecare Inc. is a labour of love that, through the many awards and recognitions it has received over the years, has set the standard for compassionate and high-quality home care across the region.
As she grew her new business, the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic would put Holly’s skills to the test like never before, and she and her team of PSWs bravely rose to the challenge.
In addition to creating training materials for caregivers and home-care aides, Touch a Heart Homecare Inc. provided assistance in local retirement and nursing homes, as well as in people’s homes, and was one of five health-care agencies to form on-call emergency teams for deployment to COVID-affected areas.
Holly Martin (class of 2014), a Personal Support Worker alumna (right), with fellow alumna Amanda Baysarowich (class of 2006 and 2008), an Alumni Association Executive Council member (left), who presented each nominee with a Grizzly scarf at the Premier’s Awards reception.
I never thought I’d return to school, let alone at 59 years old. But Georgian allowed me the opportunity to learn new skills, connect with new people and do things I never thought possible.
Guiding the health-care providers of tomorrow
A lifelong volunteer, Holly now draws on her journey to inspire young professionals and future PSWs as she devotes time to mentoring Georgian students.
Despite starting her health-care career later in life, Holly’s impact in that short time is undeniable, demonstrating that, as scary as it can be sometimes, it’s never too late to make a change…especially with Georgian there to provide the skills and support students need to succeed.
Holly was a 2024 Premier’s Awards nominee in the health sciences category.
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Published Friday, Jan. 10, 2025