“I got into this work because I was really interested in working in health care. My mom is a Care Aide as well and suggested that this would be a good way to get a sense of whether or not I want to work in this field.
We never had an outbreak at our site but we did take precautions to make sure that we were well protected. We handled the stress of working during a pandemic very well and we made sure to support each other. Adding the extra steps of putting on and taking off PPE in between visits meant having really good time management so that we could take care of all our residents in a work day.
One of the toughest parts about the pandemic is helping some residents understand why they can’t have visits with their families. For some residents, it means having to explain again and again what is happening. I feel for them because it’s difficult when you don’t know what’s going on and you can’t see your spouse or your children.
I love the work I do. There are definitely times that are more challenging than others. For instance, because of where I work, I haven’t been able to open up my bubble as many of my friends have. But being a Care Aide has confirmed for me that health care is where I want to work and I have to keep hope that sometime soon, I’ll be able to hug my friends again.”
Emily, Care Aide, part of the health care team