Victoria Johnson during her stay in the nursing home
It was the last week of this May and just starting to warm up when I checked myself into the Highlands Nursing Home in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. I am a 29-year-old medical student at the University Of New England College Of Osteopathic Medicine, and I was taking part in the Learning by Living Project, where medical students are admitted to nursing homes as residents for two weeks to gain insight into how it feels to be an elder in a nursing home.
My day-to-day care and well-being rested solely in the hands of my certified nursing assistants (CNAs). They would wake me in the morning, clean me, dress me, and make sure I ate. I would turn to them if I needed to use the bathroom, wasn’t feeling well, or wanted to go back to my room.
Right off the bat it was easy to see that these CNAs were not caring for the elderly for fame and glory, but because they wanted to help. They wanted their work to make a difference, and that’s what drove them to do their jobs well.
During my stay I saw many families thanking the staff, but it saddened me to know that they hadn’t had the opportunity to meet all of the amazing people taking care of their family members. The evening and overnight staff very rarely get to interact with patient’s families, but they were some of the most dynamic and caring individuals I have ever met. They helped us eat dinner and prepare for bed, and they were there during the nights if we woke up and were uncomfortable, or needed help in any way.
I know how much they meant to me, but could see how they could feel that their work was unnoticed or even unappreciated.
My 10 days in the home were a time of non-stop learning. One of the main things I learned is that the nuts and bolts of the everyday care in nursing homes is delivered by CNAs. These staffers become like family members to the residents, and their amazing, essential, and incredibly difficult work continues around the clock — regardless of who’s around to see it.
Victoria Johnson
This article illustrates a great example of how professionals whom direct care workers are likely to interact with can gain an appreciation of the work we do by learning about our work. We as direct care workers need to encourage other professionals to learn about what we do and what we contribute to long-term care and we need to acknowledge when this happens. By all of us trying to better understand the roles we all play, we create opportunities for connection and collaboration between our roles, all of which are intertwined and important. This will help enable direct care workers to be recognized as professionals and as a part of the entire team of long-term care practitioners. Thanks, Victoria, for sharing your experience and for the respect you carry for direct care workers. Best of luck to you.
It is wonderful to know that there are some medical school programs that are requiring this as part of the student’s education. Thanks for this article
You were very fortunate in your experience. In my experience many CNA’s are doing this work because it is all they are qualified to do and need the money. Caring for the elderly is not a passion for them at all.
Dear me, as a CNA who just got home from work, I’m all smiles. That was a wonderfull article to read! Thank you so much!
Unfortunately, though, part of me wants to agree with Suzanne too. While there are many great CNAs out there who at least at SOME point of their career got the certificate to make a difference, many of them are jaded by their lack of appreciation and the downright harshness in which their work is always judged. They have a lot on their shoulders, and sometimes it doesn’t seem fair. Others should be given a Personality Disorder assesment. It sounds to me like you were being cared for by a great group of aides, good for you and bless ‘em!
(In all honesty though, I think even those less pleasant CNA’s love the elderly more than they might remember.)