Individuals with disabilities can have many challenges in life. One of those is living independently in the community. We have the privilege of providing a service that makes this possible for some.
Many advancements have been made in this area in the last 50 years. Things such as, handicap access to public buildings and advancements in technology for those with physical impairments. Though difficulty still exists, the solution is the same as it has been for as long as history documents it. The solution is having real people provide the hands on care that is needed; this is what Care N Assist does.
We go to our client’s homes to provide a service that will support them. This means seeing them on their best days and on their worst days. We may be helping them to accomplish their personal goals or helping them to stay independent as they debilitate. Seeing a client on a bad day can make our work difficult, so we have to prepare our Home care aides to manage that successfully.
We teach our Home Care Aides to assess before responding. This means being a good listener. If they listen well, then they can guide their client in problem solving. Staying calm is also an important skill. Any frustration the client may be directing at us, is rarely caused by us, so I tell our Home Care Aides to let it go. Our help can be a positive and powerful force in our client’s lives. We just have to be willing to play the role of cheerleader in order to combat the depression that often goes hand in hand with disabilities.
Saying the word disabled is not something I like to do. As an above the knee amputee, I refuse to admit my own disability, except in conversation where I find another person may be encouraged to know about it. I wish to focus on my abilities, and work hard to limit my disability. This concept is well known in our business. We are expected to focus on our client’s abilities. It is our job to help them to maintain their abilities and to provide support where they may lack strength or function.
Working in this environment requires problem solving and flexibility from our Home Care Aides. We have to be encouragers and confidence builders. Stacey Zsigo, RN can often be heard telling our aides during training that it takes a caring heart. Having a caring heart is difficult to teach our employees, but it is what makes Care N Assist a wonderful company to work for.
