Because of the aging population, more attention is being given to the care of our elderly and disabled citizens. During National Nursing Assistants Week, we want to focus our attention on the workers who provide this much-needed hands-on-care and assistance.
Born and raised in Pender County, Clarnese Bowen fell in love with the nursing profession many years ago when she worked in a nursing home. Once her third child was no longer a baby, she took classes to become a CNA and qualified in the summer of 2010. In 2011, after a short stint with Maxim Healthcare, she joined the AssistedCare At Home team and has been a loyal employee ever since. She says, “It’s a good company to work with; they are like a big family.”
Clarnese is obviously a family-oriented person. She says, “My kids inspire me…that’s what keeps me going.” Her personality also seems to be a good fit for the job. You can feel the warmth in her voice and the cheer in her laughter when she says she goes above and beyond to meet the needs of her clients. She says, “I get attached…I can’t help myself.”
Another person who goes above and beyond is Altrimese Davis, a nursing aide with Eldercare At Home. Under the direction of a nurse or another health care professional, nursing aides help clients with bathing, meal preparation, shopping and housework. They also offer companionship. Altrimese loves caring for people and watching them heal. She says, “I love making a difference in their lives.” Altrimese has been caring for people since she was 17 years old when she worked as a resident service aide at a care home. She became a CNA in 2001 and continued to work part-time while raising her children and caring for her father. She even went back to school to get a Bachelor’s in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice but chose to continue in care work after she graduated. She says, “I have that drive in me; I’m going to make it happen.”
Two years ago, when she was pregnant with her fourth child, her CNA license expired so she joined the AssistedCare and Eldercare team as a nursing aide focusing on caring for clients with Alzheimer’s. She had previously worked with AssistedCare and was happy to return because she says the flexibility is awesome and the management really tries to help by saying things like, “You are a great nursing aide and we really appreciate what you do.” She adds, “It’s a great place to work…you really matter.”
These employees are a valuable asset to AssistedCare and they are often treated like trusted members of the family by clients…in some cases, they may be the only visitors clients see on a daily basis. Their contributions to daily living activities are much appreciated by the clients and the AssistedCare Home Health team and we want to recognize their valuable contributions during National Nursing Assistants Week. Quality, long-term care is our goal and we are grateful to all our CNAs and NAs for all their hard work in the home healthcare field.
If you or a loved one is in need of extra care at home, call 800-293-9380 or visit the AssistedCare or Eldercare websites for home care advice.
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