Exploring Life & Business with Shaynna Pitman of Elevated Care AZ

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaynna Pitman.

Hi Shaynna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
This is such an easy answer for me. Lisa. It all started with Lisa, my beautiful 34-year-old sister, who was diagnosed with Ruben-Stein Taybi Syndrome and Autism. Everything I have ever learned about the disability world and the impact we as individuals can make – was from Lisa. Gosh, growing up with her was a beauty. She has the purest heart, and I remember that from an early age. The way she loved Michael from Barney to the way she mourned the caterpillar on the big, comfy couch. When Lisa felt, she felt. And when Lisa felt, so do you.

At 18, I became an independent provider for The DDD and provided respite care to my sister to give my mom a break from working a full-time job and being a full-time caregiver. I fell in love with caregiving myself. I worked with dozens and dozens of families over the years, and I was able to be the smallest part of someone’s story. There was nothing like it to watch them achieve their goals and be shown unconditional love.

I dived into the administrative side of things. I started to understand training and the crucial importance of good training in this field. Find a good trainer to teach someone with a great heart. COVID happened after being on the administrative side of things for 6 years. The lack of agency support for our special needs families broke my heart. The battle of making a paycheck or following your moral compass was the most challenging decision of my life. So, I resigned from my position after 6 years.

In 2018, I had my daughter, Lyla Rome. And guys, she is precious. My other amazing daughter, Jayde Renee, was born in 2010 and is honestly not just the best big sister but the best human. Lyla showed signs of being on the autism spectrum from an early age. At 4 years old, she was officially diagnosed with Autism. Lyla is incredible, guys. And I think Jayde played a huge role in Lyla’s ability to adapt and do things outside her comfort zone. If you know Lyla, you know that physical touch isn’t always the easiest for her. You must ask for a hug; the answer won’t always be yes. But man, does she try to ensure you feel loved, even if it sometimes makes her uncomfortable? I found an old video on my phone from when Lyla was close to a year old, maybe even a little over. In the video, Jayde was giving me hugs, and Lyla would mimic her and hug me. No one realized it back then, but Jayde taught Lyla to hug. Their relationship is special, and I’m so glad they have one another. Just like Lisa and I have each other. It’s quite poetic, honestly.

What happened next is something I would have never expected. Elevated Care AZ was born. This area of an agency is people over profit and pours the funds back into the community directly through its client’s needs. On 06/23/2023, Elevated Care began trying to do something different regarding being an agency. We immediately dove into high pay rates. This was important to me. Quality caregivers are well-paid caregivers. Quality Training invests in creating a heart connection to the role and ensuring they understand their significance to the members they serve life. We have been open for over a year now, and I wake up every morning unable to believe that this is what I do for work. It makes just as big of an impact on me as it does on the community.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all haha! Being a new small business owner came with every challenge I could think of. Payroll glitches, provider code of conduct violations, and so much more! I remember some days waking up like, “I thought this would be easy,” and then I remember. No way! This is a community service role, and when working with humans, there will be human mistakes. So, for me, slowing down, trusting the process, and always doing our best – is how we survive.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Elevated Care AZ?
Elevated Care AZ provides Habilitation, Respite, and Attendant Care across Arizona. We have been in the disability field in Arizona for over 15 years, professionally and personally. We understand the familial side and will advocate for our families and providers.

Please talk to us about happiness and what makes you happy.
We talk about this a lot as a family. I fill my cup by helping others. Just jumping in and being there for someone, whether financially, emotionally, or even physically, as a listening friend. It’s all huge to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ECAZ.org
• Instagram: ElevatedCareAZ
• Facebook: Elevatedcareaz

Image Credits
Photos Taken by Katie at Nakupenda Photography