We all have the same basic needs. We need to be loved, to be safe, and to be nourished. Of course, we all have different orders of importance for these basics. But surely we all share them.
I recently had a client fuss about needing help with meals. He didn’t want someone hanging around his house for hours. They would just get in the way. He wanted someone who loved to cook as much as he did! This, of course, meant to me that he valued nourishment and the care of his physical wellbeing ahead of love and socialization.
Another client held my hand, only a few months ago, crying. She was so lonely. Repeatedly she told me how she missed and longed for her family who had passed on before her. Our home health aide became like family to her over the year that we provided services. There were many things we did for her, but she appreciated the socialization most.
Still another client’s daughter hired us to be with her father during his recovery. He had several falls over the last year. The last time he fell he fractured a hip. After a short stay in a nursing home for rehab, his biggest concern was being safe. We provided 24 hour care until he was safe to be alone. We put an Emergency Alert system in his home to provide the security he needed when he was alone.
Shared concerns are what motivate us to give our clients the very best of care. Stacey Zsigo, RN can often be heard saying, “I always try to see our clients just like I see my own grandmother.” You can see her picture with her grandmother on our website’s “About Us” page.
Written by; Daniel Story, RN
