There’s a lot of celebrating going on with the Yankees victory, and rightfully so – but there were some silent heros being recognized yesterday who flew under the radar who I feel deserve a bit of attention: healthcare providers – a career which is challenging in the quest for work life effectiveness.
I attended a gathering of healthcare providers that generated a lot of smiles, energy and thanks you’s. And it was that “special something” that about 40 caregivers were being honored for. These men and women are the silent masters of patience. Daily, they take care of the sick, the infirm, the elderly and the dying often with little recognition.
November is National Home Care and Hospice Month. The Long Island Chapter of the NYS Association of Health Care Providers held its Caregivers Luncheon Awards on Wednesday. I was asked to present the keynote. It was an honor, because such women and men have been my heroes and my teachers for many years. The reasons are too many to mention, but one that stands out, is the incredible patience of caregivers who have come in and out of my life with little fanfare, but who have left deep indelible marks in my heart and my soul as a volunteer and as a news reporter.
Some instances when I think back – are enough to take my breath away. There are so many and they are all heart warming.
Many of the caregivers I have worked with have taught me a lot about patience. Especially when communicating with a client is nearly impossible. Such was the case with a little boy, who I’ll call Keith. I would see him once a month at a home for children who lived with HIV/AIDS. He lived his life in a wheel chair. He would give you a loving smile when you walked in the room, but could only communicate by pointing to an alphabet board which was on a tray attached to his wheel chair.
I remember one Christmas when I was volunteering for a non-profit that would bring toys to the home every year. The toys would be given out based on the child’s abilities. There were a few electronic keyboards, and one that played songs you could sing along to. It was decided that this gift would be good stimulation for Keith.
Keith was rarely verbal so a bunch of us, including the caregiver who spent most of her time with this adorable 13 year old, wanted so badly for him to respond to his toy. He looked at it, hit a few of the buttons and smiled.
Fast forward. To my delight a few weeks later I went back to the home where the healthcare provider said she had a surprise for me.
Keith was wheeled into the activity room in silence holding onto this electronic piano device. One of the aids turned it on, hit a button, and music started to play. Keith didn’t have the ability to hit specific notes on the keyboard, but something else happened which surprised all of us. He began to sing. This child had barely been able to speak a word and there he was singing a song.
Keith’s aid, had taken the time to help him play around with the device and discovered that he had this ability to carry a tune. Years of few words – then weeks of concentrated attention, dignity, respect and a little faith, and this child was clearly singing. My heart was filled with joy. I didn’t think it could get any better when the aid told me Keith wanted to tell me something. I walked over to him and for the next few minutes he surprised me once again. He spelled out the word “thanks” – on his wheelchair board.
I have been fortunate enough to volunteer on the streets of Brooklyn feeding the homeless and worked with those who live in the institutions there, I’ve volunteered in Spanish Harlem with kids living with HIV/AIDS, and in my capacity as a hospice volunteer I’ve been at the bedside of many people in their last moments of life… but often just feet away or minutes away was always a home health care provider. These “angels” have been the saving grace, the vital piece to the health care puzzle that is only increasing in complexity.
Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening before our eyes.
- We are in great transition as a nation.
- Baby boomers are moving into retirement and many are faced with caring for their parents, although they are still working.
- People over the age of 65 make up the fastest growing segment of our population.
- “As the first of the nation’s 78 million baby boomers begin reaching age 65 in 2011, they will face a health care workforce that is too small and woefully unprepared to meet their specific health needs,” according to a report Retooling for an Aging America.
- 9 out of 10 seniors would rather age at home – so these facts are fueling the demand for home care providers like never before.
Never before has it been more important to value the work of home healthcare providers. Never in history has there been such a blur between work and family. The work life merge has created a new era where caregiving will only increase in value. It is a unique contribution in a time of upheaval and a changing society where many of us will be working and taking care of our parents, while we scramble to hire home care aids.
Caregivers are there from beginning to end and many places in between. It’s a daunting responsibility. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication. They bring warmth to the sick, and comfort to the dying, all the while striving for some sort of work life balance. All while dealing with volunteers like me – who sometimes get in the way - despite our good intentions. These workers fly under the radar, often silently do their work, not knowing the grace they bring.
