Caregiver Spotlight: Bobbi Jo Aoki
Bobbi Jo Aoki, a caregiver at Qualicare Edmonton East for a couple of years, was selected to be highlighted this month’s for our caregiver spotlight series. Bobbi Jo says that working for Qualicare has made them a “better home care aid, and human being.” Prior to coming to Qualicare, Bobbi Jo worked as a home care aid on a dementia unit in a care facility.
Bobbi Jo says the work “gives me the joy of working for an amazing company with work-life balance. It has made me want to do better, and be better for every client I have. The chance to have one-on-one interaction and build relationships with my clients is not something you can get from working at a facility, and it has changed the way I look and feel at my job.”
Learn more about Bobbi Jo’s journey as a caregiver in today’s blog!
How do you help clients feel comfortable with in-home caregiving?
“It starts with first impressions and making sure that your visit is all client-based,” Bobbi Jo said. “[It is vital to] listen to the client and their needs and wishes, and then the family’s needs and wishes. I make sure to try and meet all their needs and wishes as best I can, and remember that every person and situation is different and to adjust to the client.”
Additionally, Bobbi Jo said that it’s important to “always show compassion and understanding to clients. Take an interest in what the clients’ interests are (hobbies, music, books, or anything that I can do to engage with them.)
How have clients impacted your life?
“Every client I have had has made me a better home care aid,” Bobbi Jo said. “I take life lessons and experiences from each client that I work with. Every interaction I have with a client makes an impact on my life in more than one way.”
Caregivers are present with clients during extremely vulnerable, and momentous moments in life. Bobbi Jo said that accompanying clients as they pass away, and making them comfortable, and helping a client now who is paralyzed from the waist down build momentum and gain movement through daily exercise, are notable experiences as a caregiver.
What personal qualities make a great caregiver?
“Listening would be a main quality for any caregiver as most of our job is to listen and understand what our clients’ needs are not just physical, but emotional as well,” Bobbi Jo said. “Compassion is something they would definitely need as you are dealing with clients at some of the hardest times in their life, and you need to be compassionate with what they are going through. And, being personable, you need to have a connection with your client, they need to feel comfortable with you and the care you provide, and to take an interest in them as a person, and not just the task at hand.”
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