Melita has been with Home Instead Senior Care since May 2012. She is one of our most caring, gentle and patient CAREGivers. We are so lucky to have her working with our clients.
We asked Melita four questions and we love her answers!
1. Why did you decide to become a caregiver?
I decided to become a caregiver because this is one of my
passions in life. Aside from it is part of my nursing profession, being a
caregiver specifically gives me emotional and social attachments to old people
who really need special attention-patience, a lot of understanding and most
especially love not only in my work but on patients I'm dealing with every day
of my life. I always thought that sooner or later I will become old too and the
fact that I have developed this connection with them through my work as a
caregiver it gives me sense of fulfillment, of peace, of satisfaction. More or
less I choose this job because it connects me to people in a genuine way.
2. What is your memorable or happiest moment (s) with your
clients?
I think one of the memorable moments, or I may say happiest
as well, is when one of my clients remembered the story I have told before
about my mother and he suddenly asked what then happened. For me caring doesn't
only limit to doing the routine eating, bathing, changing, but it also extends
to something really important and that is communicating. And caring for these
people with memory problems you cannot always, or rarely expect, that something
has been remembered. And remembering indicates that he listened. Deep into his
subconscious he grasped what I said and he remembered. For me, that is
something to make me realize that I exist in my patients’ life, that my story
was remembered, and that my patients’ memory is somehow working. It is
remarkable.
3. What advice do you have for any new caregivers?
First, they have to love not only their job but the people
they are dealing with. Be patient to your patients. Understand your patient not
the other way around. Remember it is always better to give than to receive.
Second, adapt eventually to change. Be flexible. There is no first time that
was easy. You always have to start from the scratch. Lastly, go an extra mile.
Make a difference not only in physically aspect of your patients’ life but
holistically. It will somehow touch your life in a unique way.
4. What do you enjoy doing on your days off?
When I am at work I am away from my family, so basically
during my day off I catch up the time I have lost spending with them. My
happiness is where my home is. And home is with my family. It is not just about
being home but being a mother to my kids, a wife to my husband, and a relative
to my cousins. We do some catching up also by having dinner together and going
out sometimes.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Home Instead Senior
Care management and its staff for recognizing my work efforts.
Melita
We thank YOU, Melita!
