Little extras make residents feel special: health care aide
Friday, September16, 2005 -- Natalie Miller
Pausing to style one resident’s hair or spontaneously paint nail polish on another resident’s fingernails are the details Tammy Jones works into her job as a health care aide.

The Garden Terrace employee says they’re tasks she doesn’t necessarily have time for but finds the time to complete.

“I think in the hustle and bustle of this (work) we can forget they are people,” she says.

“I think it’s important” to do something unexpected or extra for them without residents having to ask, Tammy says. “It makes them feel better about themselves when you take that extra time.”

For instance, one resident she supports is palliative and finds it difficult to get out of bed. She’ll fuss with the woman’s hair or paint her nails. “That makes her feel happy and good about herself. She want to be up and wants to have company. If they look good, they feel good.”

“I wish there was more time allotted for stuff like that. But due to funding, you do the best you can. Sometimes I wish that more people would take the extra time to do these things. Remember to slow down. Remember there’s a thinking, feeling person in there.”

Tammy joined Garden Terrace as a health care aide when it opened in February 2003. Her background is in long-term care and daycare. “Originally the reason I got into this line of work was when my grandparents were in the hospital and I saw what good care they received.” That was 13 years ago and she has since taken the health care aide course and worked in long-term care for five years previous to joining the Kanata nursing home.

Working with the elderly is educative for Tammy, particularly when she learns from residents about the days gone by. When caring for them, “I like to think I’m meeting their everyday needs, bringing a smile to their faces and doing a bit extra for them.”

She says residents express their appreciation but the true reward is “the feeling you get inside. I have a lot of connections with a lot of the residents.”