About Jan

I am writing to recommend Jan Lin without reservation. Jan lived with and cared for my mother- and father-in-law full time through the final years of their lives. I watched him do this work up close, every day, and I have never seen anyone take a responsibility on with more devotion, steadfast care and authentic joy. Jan is, first, extraordinarily gentle. He treated them with a tenderness that never wavered, even when they were outwardly difficult. His commitment did not wane on hard nights, not through the indignities that illness imposes, not at the end. But gentleness alone isn’t what made him exceptional. What set Jan apart was how seriously he took the clinical side of the job. He researched constantly. He read up on their conditions, their medications, and their treatment options so that he understood not just what he was being asked to do but why. In appointments, he listened closely to the physicians and nurses, asked precise questions until he was certain he understood, and volunteered the day-to-day observations only a live-in caregiver has. These were details that even the rest of our family could never have been so aware of… details that repeatedly gave the medical team information they needed to make the right call. More than once, his attentiveness changed the course of care for the better and prolonged their lives with as much enjoyment as could have ever been achieved. His communication is a real strength. He is responsive, clear, and proactive. Our family always knew where things stood because Jan made sure we did. He never left us guessing, and he never sugarcoated. He is also resourceful and conscientious in the small ways that matter enormously over years: anticipating needs before anyone voiced them, managing logistics without being asked, keeping the household calm and dignified and alerting us to any and all matters that needed attention. He was patient in this regard and has a very evolved way of ensuring that things he doesn’t have agency over get done by others without being intrusive or overwhelming. Over the years, Jan became a member of our family. That is not a figure of speech. He earned a place in it through sustained kindness, competence, and integrity during the hardest stretch our family has been through. Anyone fortunate enough to bring Jan into their home for the care of someone they love will be letting a rare and uncommonly valuable person into their lives for the better! I would trust him with anyone I love, and I say that having already done exactly that.