“I was born to be a nursing assistant – to hold, to help, to teach, to inspire. It’s who I am, my calling, my passion, my life, my world.”
Giving and receiving care is a deep and personal experience. It requires trust, understanding and compassion, especially in uncertain times. Bathing, dressing and feeding are all intimate activities which require skill and the knowledge of each elder’s personality and preferences. All care giving happens in the context of the relationship between the caregiver and the receiver of care, and for our nursing assistants, this relationship is at the heart of all they do.
Throughout this pandemic, the work of nursing assistants has become more complex and challenging. Coming to work every day, in spite of the hazards, nursing assistants often working 16 hours a day to cover for those who have fallen ill. And, as with so many of our healthcare workers, they go home each night to care for their children, spouses and parents, hoping that their work does not endanger their own families.
They have remained a constant presence in the lives of our elders, as they laugh and cry with them, hold their hands and wipe their tears. Our nursing assistants personify Maria Regina’s commitment to hope, healing and hospitality.
They are brave, strong and dedicated and we cannot be prouder of these wonderful women. Thank you, thank you – for all you do and especially, for who you are.
