adminDo you have that extra gear that many of us wish we had? For the last 16 years or so I have worked either in or with a number of healthcare facilities and hospitals in addition to community support services. During that time I have been amazed and moved by what I describe as caregivers with a special gift- “a sixth gear”. Through the years a large part of my job has been to counsel, advocate and assist patients or residents and arrange the care and services that they wanted or needed. As part of that process I passed the “baton” onto the frontline staff that actually provide the hands on care and attention that was necessary. This includes various healthcare workers, but the ones with that extra gear often tend to be the nurse’s aides or care assistants. They are a special “breed” of people. They are not only dealing with the physical demands of the job, but the emotional part as well. This is especially true for those working with individuals who have dementia. However, day in and day out they continue to come to work with a smile on their face and great passion in their heart. They also happen to be some of the most tenured staff around. AMAZING! THAT’S WHAT I MEAN BY A SIXTH GEAR!
No doubt that the role of a direct care worker can often be an unheralded position, but at the same time it can be an extremely rewarding and gratifying occupation. As a professional caregiver the client is obviously paying for the service, but the friendship and bond they form is priceless. As an employee of Messiah Lifeways there are a number of opportunities to do this type of work and provide direct care for various residents and clients. One such opportunity is through Messiah Lifeways at Home. Currently they are looking for Home Care Assistants to help older adults with everyday activities in the comfort of their own home.
Here are some comments from Elaine Leonetti and Pauline Jones who work for Messiah Lifeways at Home. Elaine has been with us for nearly 28 years and Pauline close to 18 years!
“..it’s a really good feeling being able to help someone who can no longer do things on their own… and give them a better quality of life..” – Pauline
“..the greatest part is you’re working one on one with that person…and you can devote all your efforts to their individual needs”- Elaine
“I look forward to coming to work”- Pauline
“We have fun!”- Elaine
“..it’s wonderful to see the happiness on their face knowing you’ve made a difference in their life”- Pauline
Our home care assistants work with older adults to help them age in place in a safe and healthy manner and help relieve some the work or care that the adult children or an aging spouse may provide. For others the assistant also represents a highlight in their day as they lend a helpful hand and flash a friendly familiar smile.
It’s not all hands on care either. Duties vary based on assignments and skill sets- from housekeeping, light bulb changing, meal preparation, pet care, lawn mowing and letter writing to errand running, transporting to appointments, bathing, dressing, medication reminders and companionship. Day, evening, overnight and weekend only assignments are available. Short shifts are available where one could work as little as 5 hours a week or as many as 35 hours a week. This is a great employment opportunity for stay-at-home moms, college students, teachers and retirees that want to touch the lives of older adults and impart kindness and caring to those in need. Do you have that sixth gear?
If you’d like to learn more about this opportunity, please call Jody at 717.790.8228
or email: jharman@messiahlifeways.org
or go to messiahlifeways.org/home/careers/part-time/
