Junior Charles had been working as a med-certified personal care aide for more than four years when he decided to take on an additional job to fill some extra time in his schedule. Loving the time he spends caring for and building relationships with his clients, Junior knew he wanted his second job to be in healthcare as well. After a quick search on the internet, Junior found a few homecare agencies he was interested in and decided to learn more. After some additional research, Junior interviewed with and was hired by All Care to enroll in the January Certified Home Health Aide Training Class.
Run by All Care RN Mary Sullivan, the training class was the most valuable resource Junior had when he joined the All Care team. Mary provided the class with tools and best practices while also orienting them to the All Care culture and mission. Mary was sure to answer every question, prepare the class for every situation, and provided incredible support during the class as well as after graduation as the home health aides embarked on their field work with the confidence that Mary had instilled in them and their ability.
Having worked predominantly in group homes, the home care setting was a natural one for Junior and he quickly made an impression on his new clients and families. Highly skilled and well-versed in personal care and behavior modification, Junior is able to assess the home environment for safety, accessibility, and swiftly analyze how he can be of most benefit to his clients. The addition of an aide or any other new person to the home can be a period of adjustment for anyone, especially for seniors who may have a regimented routine they have adhered to for decades. While respecting boundaries, cultural nuances, and personal preferences, Junior is able to fill the gaps in care within the home while helping to maintain the client’s sense of independence and dignity through relationships built on trust and mutual respect.
One of the biggest benefits Junior has experienced since working with All Care is accessing All Care’s continuum of care. One of Junior’s first clients, an elderly gentleman with MS who lives at home with his wife, was exhibiting signs of skin breakdown. With his experience, Junior knew what had caused the bedsore and what would happen to it if it was left untreated (increased pain, infection, tissue death, etc.). This client was accessing private services through All Care Resources but when Junior contacted his nurse supervisor, Sandy MacMillan, she was able to see that the VNA episode had expired on this client however due to the degree of the wound, it would qualify him to be brought back on service for clinical observation through All Care’s VNA program. Having an open line of communication not only to his schedulers and nurse managers, but to the rest of the clinical team, has been a wonderful aspect of his work with All Care.
Whether it is through nonverbal communication, gentle touch, or personal care, Junior possesses a unique selflessness that allows him to care for each and every client as if they were his own family. Acting as the frontline for patient care, a home health aide spends the most time with a client than any other clinical team member; the consistency of their visits allows the aides to be the eyes and ears of the team, they are able to best describe improvement or decline, and can often times give the best insight into a client’s mindset as they make a concerted effort to get to know their clients and are invested in their well-being. The streamlined services, interdisciplinary communication, and high level of patient care provided helps establish a trusted bond and valuable connection between the clinical team, the client, and family. All Care is proud to have a staff of such dedicated, compassionate, and expert home health aides who provide exemplary personal care to our patients and families.
If you or someone you know has the skills, passion, and drive that Junior does and wants to make a positive impact on someone’s life and their community, contact Laurie Proulx to register for All Care’s next Certified Home Health Aide Training Class at lproulx@allcare.org!