Maria P.

I like to be with people and help them. I like being a caregiver because I love to meet people and help them. I motivate people to exercise and help them with their physical therapy and their daily activities.

I have been a Caregiver/CNA/ Patient Care Technician for 10 years. Ever since I started working in health care, I have always enjoyed it. To me, it is a very rewarding career as I am able to help a lot of people. As a caregiver, I demonstrate empathy to all my clients/patients. I believe it is the core characteristic of an excellent caregiver. I tend to believe it's a lot of inherent and a big mix of environment. I also believe there are degrees of empathy. Some can empathize more than others. If you can totally put yourself in the place of who you are caring for, you will do nothing but provide excellent nursing care. Also, It is difficult enough for a person to lose independence without having the added burden of finding someone reliable to help them. When I provide care, I try to be as dependable as I can be because so many vulnerable seniors' lives depend on my assistance and care to live a safe and happy life. I am patient with my clients. I give my clients/patients ample time to comfortably be assisted with their activities of daily living (ADL's). If the care recipient is angry, and uncooperative, I give them space, and a bit of time. I give him/here time to breathe and calm down. I usually wait 15 or 20 minutes and reproach in a calm and loving manner. If the source of the frustration is a task that can be put off, Iput it off. If it's something that needs to take place as soon as possible, like changing an incontinence brief, I try a different approach that will make them feel better. As a caregiver or CNA, I am flexible. I have spent my career knowing that as soon as I have my day planned out, something is sure to change and I will have to tend to whatever has become the priority. I can adapt quickly, and accept change easily.