LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Miriam DeFrancesco, an 82-year-old caregiver from Little Rock, has been recognized as the Southeast Region Caregiver of the Year.

Despite her age, at 82, DeFrancesco has no plans to retire until she reaches 90.

"I was shocked and very humbled," DeFrancesco said about receiving the award. "Out of 19,000 caregivers to be one of the top, it's pretty scary, especially when everybody else is younger than me, and it's spectacular."

DeFrancesco says her personal experiences have made her a better caregiver.

"I took care of my mother, but I've also had health issues where I've had to have caregivers, and so I'm very strong on pushing for respect for my clients and make them feel like their boss," she said.

"I don't go in and take over their home like some caregivers do,

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