Anita Ware has been with Family Resource for only 1½ years but her experience as a caregiver started long before that. For 10 years she worked at an assisted living facility but was discouraged by the lack of opportunity to advance in her profession and work with a wider variety of clients. Today she is thrilled to have found Family Resource where she feels she can grow as a caregiver and her supervisors are responsive to her needs and interests.
Anita’s attraction to caregiving began when she was a young girl. “I was the oldest in my family and I had three younger brothers. I guess taking care of others is in my blood,” she said. “When I was young I volunteered at a rest home. I liked visiting and talking to the residents. I’ve always preferred being a companion to older people.”
In school, Anita studied accounting and later worked as a housecleaner but she was always drawn to caregiving. “Even when I was young I wanted to help everyone. I still wish I could. That’s not possible but I can help my clients. I respect my clients and it gives me joy to help them. I just treat them the way I would want to be treated when I’m old. People who do this kind of work – it has to be in your heart,” she concludes.
Today Anita has two clients; one who she sees one day a week and another who lives in a senior care facility with whom she works 3-4 times a week. “My client who lives in a facility has dementia,” says Anita. “She recently lost her husband, so this is a hard time for her. I always encourage her to participate in activities, but sometimes she does not want to, so I just spend time with her and try to be a good companion. My mother also had dementia,” Anita continues, “and I was one of her caregivers. Caregiving is hard work. Their lives are in your hands and you have to be careful, cautious and loving.”
When she is not working, Anita loves to spend time with her dad and grandchildren. She is very family oriented and that is one reason she finds her work as a caregiver to be so satisfying. “When my client says thank-you, or I am able to make her laugh, that makes me happy,” she says. Anita is also happy to be working for Family Resource. “They are the best company I ever worked for. They tell you how much they appreciate you. I can tell just by the way they speak to us that they don’t only care about their clients, they also care about their caregivers.”