“I am Coast Salish First Nations and got my Resource Worker certificate in 1982. Community Social Services workers need encouragement. I really enjoy my job, and I could have retired, but I want to stay in the field, you know, for myself and my health, and for the people here at my site. We need encouragement to continue to do this and to help others.
What gives me hope is the Creator and my family. I have four daughters. They see me doing this kind of field, and they’re in the field too. Three of them are involved in home support like this.
Keep doing what you're doing as a caregiver and enjoy. Your spirits bring theirs up too, you know, as you're happy, they're even happier too.
At my site we have four individuals with disabilities, and we provide them whatever they need. They do a lot of outings, go swimming, go to church. We take them for walks and exercises every day. We have to try to encourage them to do stuff, you know, good things for them, like eating habits and stuff like that. When they want to go get some stuff, like a few things they want to go shopping for, we try to encourage them what to buy for their room and such.
The most rewarding part of my job is to see them happy - the expression on their face when they get something done and they make their goal.
There’s a lot of difficult work in my job, but I don’t mind getting it done and doing it for them. It’s hard to see them ill or if they break something. It’s sad to see them in pain.
I felt really bad when the pandemic happened because it kept them from going out. We tried to do as many arts and crafts as we could with them. They really wanted to go out, but they weren't allowed to go out until a few months after. The swimming, the walking, the exercise, everything was all mixed up. They’re so happy to be out now.”
- Caroline Woods, Resource Worker, part of the health care team