We’re proud to celebrate Kathryn Packingham, Agency Director of Caring Senior Service of Galesburg, for being named one of the Top 5 Under 40 Leaders Making the Greatest Impact by the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce! Kathryn’s dedication to seniors and her community truly embodies our mission to help clients remain happy, healthy, and at home.
The article below, originally published in The Burg newspaper, highlights Kathryn’s inspiring journey, community involvement, and heartfelt approach to caregiving.
Article Text
At the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Evening of Excellence Dinner on August 28, Kathryn Packingham, agency director of Caring Senior Service of Galesburg, was named one of the community’s Top 5 Under 40 leaders Making the Greatest Impact in 2024–2025.
Caring Senior Service “is a home care company whose mission is to keep clients happy, healthy, and home. We collaborate with OSF, Beacon of Hope Hospice, etc. We help seniors stay happy, healthy, and home for as long as possible.”
To fulfill their mission they “provide companionship as well as laundry, personal care (showers), dusting, sheets changed, light cleaning services, take clients fishing, take clients to the library, etc.”
Packingham has been working with Caring Senior Service of Galesburg “since 2018. I started as a caregiver. In 2021 I started working in the office. Then in 2022 I became the agency director.”
She chose to work with Caring Senior Service because “I really enjoy helping seniors. I feel like they are the best generation. They are the ones that have helped me the most. I was raised by my grandparents. It just comes naturally to me.”
In addition to working for Caring Senior Service, Packingham is very involved in the community.
“I am part of Rotary, on the board for the VNA, am a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association, and am part of the PTO at my kids’ school,” Packingham explained.
When Packingham realized she had been selected as one of the community’s Top 5 Under 40 Leaders Making the Greatest Impact in 2024–2025, she was “shocked to be nominated. I don’t know how to take compliments and I don’t expect the recognition. I am very humbled, and thankful for the recognition Caring Senior Service was given for what we are doing in the community. I’m just trying to make our community the best place possible.”
In 2023 Packingham was selected as Caring’s “Voice of Caring.”
For Packingham that moment was a “similar feeling. It was even more of a surprise. I thought I was on a Teams call for a meeting. I told them thank you. Is it time for the meeting? They told me there was no meeting. I cried after. It feels really good to be recognized.”
It is no surprise that Packingham is receiving recognition. She always tries to go “above and beyond for my clients. I want the absolute best for them.”
At the time of this interview, Packingham was on the way to help a client.
“I am driving to take a client to see a specialist. The spouse of my client is disabled. I will fill out a physician’s form to fax to the family, so they know what is going on. Afterwards I’m doing tasks throughout the community, hanging out with the ladies at Seminary Estates, and dropping off sugar-free pumpkin bread to clients. I get to do everything I want to do. It is very rewarding and fulfilling.”
For Packingham it all comes down to her personal motto:
“Growing old is part of life. Growing boring is not.”
Packingham would like the Galesburg community to know “how many resources there are. You are not alone. Call us at (309) 315-4011. We will help you find a resource to help you. If you can’t afford us, we have resources to connect you with someone who can. For those aging now you don’t have to feel isolated or stuck. We can help you go to lunch with friends or to the doctor. We are here to help you stay as independent as possible.”
Caring Senior Service of Galesburg is “always hiring. We work with people’s schedules. Apply through Indeed. We have caregivers who are 19 working on their CNA to 74 who don’t like to stay home. We try to accommodate everyone we can. We do personality matches going through what you like and don’t like then we’ll match you up with someone who enjoys those things. The client I’m helping enjoys hunting and fishing, so he is paired with a caregiver with their FOID card who can take him to do that utilizing the tools he needs.”