Meet the Speakers!

My plan/goal was to become a teacher and or a Nurse, and I did. I taught biology in high school and was a Medical Ward Nurse, because that is what my grandfather wants me to become. But when my grandmother got sick, and we needed someone to be there by her side, I realized I have no desire to be a teacher (doing lesson plans every week), rather to look after my sick grandmother.

I am currently working as full time Personal Support Worker at VHA Home health care (since 2012). I personally take care of the client/patient in the comfort of their home; although some of them have family members, I help/support in times they can’t (bathe, feed, change, do laundry, if necessary, especially if the patient is alone in the house or their home, give medications, assist in their ADL’s).

Each client/ patient is unique/encounters different facets of sickness. I go to the house of each client – depends on how many days in a week and hours. My goal is to continually grow professionally and personally as well as to support my colleagues as their Coach.

Most importantly, it is to support the clients and family meeting up their goals for the day. You may think, “why for the day?” It’s because, for them, waking up and doing the activities of daily living is a milestone already. Putting a smile on their face is my biggest achievement, moreover, to come up with regarding best practice/care assisting/supporting the quality of their convenient, which is at HOME.

I worked in different institutions/congregations (Long term, retirement home, and hospitals) and my heart was always looking for a place like HOME (saying, there is no place like home).

When my grandmother diagnosed with early dementia and heart condition, we needed someone to look after her/ be with her 24 hours. In our culture, we (family members) will take care as much as possible at home. And in that period, there was a ‘set on fire’ feeling in my heart, which was what I was looking for. From there, I continue to live my purpose.

The role of Personal Support Worker (PSW) is unique, we are the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, arms, legs, feet of each client/patient we care for (the backbone). I want to ensure that each client and family member we support has the equal and dignified quality of care.

Additionally, a person cannot be complete without those parts I mentioned (parts of the body), one can’t stand firm nor sit without them; it would feel incomplete. So therefore, being a Personal Support Worker is an incredibly rewarding, and a noble career that can impact  our health care system.

I volunteer at the church (out for cold program), and I respect my silence and “me time”, to recuperate from the noise and all that I see and heard during the time I devote to work.

There are tons of opportunities in health care. Be open and look to gain experience in different areas. Go deep down and listen to your heart beat, and see if, when you do something, there is a smile on your face, one no one can give you, that comes from what you do in life.