Hairdressing at the root of student’s new career path
Wednesday, December 6, 2006 -- Natalie Miller
Working as a hairdresser earlier in her life, Bobbi-Jo Butler always enjoyed socializing with her elderly clientele.

After having children and experiencing entrepreneurship with her husband, Bobbi-Jo wanted a change. She enrolled in the six-month personal support worker (PSW) program at TR Leger School, an adult continuing education institution. Now she’s settling into a 180-hour work placement at Rosebridge Manor in Jasper.

“I’m enjoying it,” says Bobbi-Jo, early into her placement at the rural long-term care home.

“I love the people and I’m really getting to know them,” says Bobbi-Jo about the home’s 78 residents. She’s involved in the hands-on care, assisting residents with their personal needs and meals and as well as household tasks like making beds.

Working at Rosebridge, Bobbi-Jo is experiencing for the first time what it’s like to support seniors who have dementia. “The staff is really great at giving me tips,” the PSW student says. “I’m learning as I go.”

Supportive measures, OMNI’s approach to meeting the needs of residents with dementia, is embraced by staff at Rosebridge and ingrained in the home’s culture. Bobbi-Jo works with a host of PSWs and health care aides during her daily placement.

The student is one of seven PSWs currently in training at Rosebridge Manor. Four others are students of TR Leger like Bobbi-Jo, while two are attending St. Lawrence College.

Director of care Lorraine Patterson says having the students at Rosebridge is a benefit to the home and the staff.

“They’re a great help,” says Lorraine.

“Staff really appreciates them. They’re doing a lot of good work with supportive measures.”

For instance, students are spending one-on-one time, a supportive measure, with the home’s residents. “They’re providing extra special attention the residents are really appreciating. They work in partnership with one of our supportive measures specialists here. Certainly it’s good training for them.”

As for Bobbi-Jo, once she has completed her hours at Rosebridge her course requires a second placement in another setting. She’ll choose homecare and make a decision at the end of the course about in which environment she wants to work.

Lorraine says Rosebridge isn’t currently in a position to hire PSWs but will likely be in the new year.