Paula first joined the CareGivers team as a home support worker in the late 1990s. She left for a few years to fish with her husband and eventually found her way back to CareGivers. Since her return, she has provided end-of-life care to several clients and has been providing support to her current client full-time since May 2018.
“I did enjoy fishing,” says Paula, noting that she still enjoys a boat trip and her husband is still involved in the fishery. “But working with seniors – it’s just awesome. I love what I do.”
“My relationship with my client is the best. I can’t ask for any better,” adds Paula. “He’s 85 years old and he loves his game of Skat so we play two to three games of cards most afternoons.” Paula’s client enjoys getting out of the house, so you will often see them out and about the community.
Home support work is not always easy, but Paula has a warm spirit that helps lift the mood, even in challenging times. “She knows how to lighten the mood a little bit, even at the darkest of times,” a family member had said, recalling the wonderful care Paula had provided to her parent.
“Sometimes it does get difficult – you’ve got to put your heart in your pocket for a lot of things – so that you keep the mood good,” says Paula. “You have to have compassion for people and a good heart.”
Paula notes in addition to making sure clients are taken care of, the office team is very accommodating to her work-life balance.
“If I need time off, or if my husband or I have doctors’ appointments, they will switch stuff up for me,” she says, adding that the team of Home Support Workers also work together to switch a shift if necessary.
CareGivers believes in the importance of providing comfort and companionship to those who need it. Our home support workers embrace this with their compassion for clients and client families. A career as a caregiver is truly rewarding and special relationships with clients is one of the many reasons why. If you would like to learn more, please click here