MARIA NIEPCE
Aged Care Support Worker, YourCare Home Care Services, TAS
I am a busy mother of six children ranging from the age of 30 to 10 year old (four of whom still live at home with me), and one beautiful little 16 month old granddaughter Nora – who I love to bits!
I have worked in Aged Care for four years, but have had a lot of experience in my teenager years looking after my elderly grandfather that lived with us. As a teenager, I also spent every Sunday visiting the elderly people in my church, and kept them company, read to them or just had a cup of tea with them.
My aged care career started when I was studying for a Certificate III and IV in Aged Care Services, and whilst doing my placement in an aged care facility in Tasmania I realised my passion for helping the elderly had not subsided.
Currently I am an Aged Care Support Worker for YourCare Home Care Services. The title says it all, I support my elderly clients to live as fulfilled and independently as possible in their own home, where they feel connected, safe and where they can live with their pets, partner or family for as long as they want to.
I assist them with personal care if needed, social support, medical appointments, physiotherapy, respite care, domestic assistance and grocery shopping. I also ensure my clients can talk to me when they are concerned, sad or just need to a have a chat about their life in general.
My goal is to provide a holistic approach to my patients’ care, ensuring that all their needs are met at all times (physical, emotional and spiritual).
I love the fact that my clients have the option to stay at home for as long as possible with their loved ones (including pets). I love that I make their day easier and happier! I love to sing and have a dance or two with my clients.
I enjoy my interactions with the elderly because they have so much to give to us. The wisdom and stories they share with me are so amazing, and it has taught me so much about getting older and having the biggest part of your life lived!
I love to give back to our beautiful people that worked so hard. In society ageing can be looked down upon, which is so sad as the elderly deserves our greatest respect. When I look at them when they were young and strong, they lived a life just like any of us, they had goals, hopes and passion.
Getting old does not mean that these people do not have any goals, hopes or passion left. My role is to listen to them, to hear them, to see them, to respect them and to make life just a little bit easier for them. They earned it!
Talking about the future can be daunting for some of my clients but I always try to turn our conversations into something positive and encourage them to take it day by day.
I love the fact that when I have a cup of tea or start breakfast for an elderly client, we both look outside and observe some of the birds having a bath in the birdbath in the garden. A simple thing in life can be so beautiful and it is the little precious moments we talk about and enjoy.
I feel humbled when I leave my clients’ home because I know I have given it my all to provide them with the best care.
I feel fulfilled and lucky to have found my role in my life, to provide and care for our most vulnerable people - our elderly - and I believe they deserve our utmost respect, care and devotion.
Working in childcare is considered to be one of the most important jobs you can do, we are talking about a human's first few vital years in life. The first five years are so important and makes a big impression on our children for the rest of our lives.
When we thing about aged care, we as aged care support workers are spending the last part of their lives supporting people, listening to them and they are leaving a big impression/footprint on us as aged care support workers.
My job has taught me that life is short and enjoy the moments of life. Take time to smell the roses! Don't stay angry at your loved ones! Life is so fragile but at the same token people can be so strong.
People come into your life for a reason. People can teach you some valuable lessons. Supporting clients in palliative care has taught me that people will fight till the very end to stay here with their loved ones! Life is precious!
I believe the most needed trait to work in aged care is compassion for people, it’s so vital. Being compassionate means you care, nurture, respect a person. Compassion includes a duty of care towards your fellow human, being sensitive to his/her needs. To be a listener and an observer! You would ensure that the person in your care is OK!
We need more compassionate people to join this industry, and I would encourage anyone who knows within their heart they have a desire to help the elderly in our society that they should do it!
It is the most rewarding job to be a part of someone's life on a daily basis. I love my job, and working in aged care is a rich, rewarding career, I would not have it any other way!
