Health & Wellness Magazine Community Of Caring - Summer 2019 | Page 26

MOMENTS OF JOY MOM ENTS OF JOY BY: CHERYL LAHAM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAREGIVERS ONE OF the best parts about my job is getting to connect directly with the people who provide care for our most vulnerable populations. They have so much pride in the work that they do and a passion for caring for others. A recent conversation with Maxine Park, a caregiver in Mount Moriah, NL, was no exception. “It’s the best decision I’ve made,” says Maxine, as she reflects on why she chose to start providing home support. “It’s one-to-one and you get to know the client so well. They open up and trust you with so much of their life.” Maxine has been with the CareGivers team for four years. Prior to joining the team, she worked with a personal care home where she fell in love with working with seniors. A friend of hers who had been working with us at the time referred her to us. “The client I have right now is 93, and she needs a lot of assistance,” says Maxine. “But I can see the appreciation. She never complains.” 26 “I’m not a morning person,” she adds with a little laugh, “but I get out of bed and pack my little lunch and have my morning coffee. When I get to my client’s house and go in to get her out of bed—that look on her face when I walk in—I’m so glad I went to work. She wakes up and has a big smile and sticks her tongue out at me and we both have a laugh.” compassion and caring—is the most important thing. To me, as long as you care, all the rest will fall into place. When I come in through the door, it doesn’t matter what’s around, she comes first. I do her personal care and get her out of bed and situated for the day, and then I’ll tackle the cleaning and the cooking and whatever else needs to be done.” When asked about her favourite memories with her client, Maxine recalls introducing her to FaceTime. Her client’s daughter, granddaughter, and two great- granddaughters—who are now four and seven—live in Western Canada, and this technology enables her to connect with them and see their faces even though they’re thousands of kilometres away. At home, Maxine is very close with her family—parents, children, and grandchildren—some of whom are dealing with serious illnesses. “She almost cried with happiness,” says Maxine. “This woman never cries, but that day you could see the tears welling up in her eyes and hear the excitement in her voice.” To be a good caregiver, Maxine notes you need to possess two important qualities: “a caring heart and a still tongue." “Put your client first,” says Maxine. “Of course, you need to know how to cook and clean and bake, but compassion— “CareGivers puts family first,” says Maxine. “I know that if anything happens at home and I need to go to be with my family, Alona and the team at the office will support that while also making sure my client is well looked after.” “I have the day off today, and my granddaughter is here right now,” she notes. “When we’re finished with this conversation, we’ll start baking cookies— raisin bran and oatmeal raisin.” With that, I thanked her for her time and we ended the conversation. Family comes first, after all.