1. Catherine Frazee
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P.O. Box 476
Canning
Nova Scotia B0P 1H0
Telephone: (902) 582-3746
Fax: (647) 439-0896
September 6, 2014
To Whom It May Concern
It is my pleasure to provide an employment reference on behalf of Ms. Brenda
Zabolotny, in support of her application for employment.
I have known Ms. Zabolotny since February 2000, when I hired her as a part-time
personal support worker. In this capacity, and for the following several years, she
provided a range of supports necessitated by my physical disability, both in my home
and while traveling for professional or recreational purposes. Ms. Zabolotny quickly
proved herself to be a highly committed and conscientious employee, and someone who
brought to every task the mark of her distinctly warm and spirited personality. She is a
loyal and enthusiastic worker, eager to learn new skills and to take on new challenges.
Although I moved from Ontario in 2010, and was therefore no longer in a position to
require Ms. Zabolotny’s services, I had come to value her role in my life not only as a
trusted employee, but also as an exceedingly good-natured, generous and caring
companion. It is therefore not surprising that I did not hesitate to hire Ms. Zabolotny
again in the spring of 2012, when my brother and I sought to recruit a companion for
our mother, who was experiencing moderate cognitive impairment as a result of
Alzheimer's disease. Working initially on a part-time basis, Ms. Zabolotny assisted and
encouraged Mother's social interactions, physical recreation and day-to-day living.
As Mother’s physical condition deteriorated and in-home palliative healthcare services
were put in place, Ms. Zabolotny’s commitment to Mother’s well-being remained strong.
She accepted without reservation the need to work longer hours under increasingly
difficult circumstances, and to assume responsibilities for Mother’s intimate personal
care and health management. At all times, Ms. Zabolotny strove to ensure that Mother’s
personality was honoured and her dignity held intact, until the very end of her life. I

2. Catherine Frazee
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shall be forever grateful to her for the kindness, humour and gentle care that she
provided my mother through her final days.
It has been my great pleasure to know Ms. Zabolotny as her caregiving skills have
matured and strengthened. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in hiring her again to
work in any situation requiring patience, kindness, loyalty and humanity.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide any further information in support
of Ms. Zabolotny’s application for employment. I can be reached directly by telephone or
by email at cfrazee@ryerson.ca.
Sincerely,
Dr. Catherine Frazee, D.Litt., LLD. (Hon.)
Professor Emerita, Ryerson University, School of Disability Studies