Home Care Excellence – Alice M.
Alice’s journey into caregiving wasn’t something she planned. Coming from Zambia, Africa, where she worked as a secretary to a human resource manager, her path took a turn when she found herself caring for six residents with Alzheimer’s. “That’s when I became interested in becoming a caregiver,” she reflects. Her ability to care for those residents sparked a passion that has since become a calling, despite the challenges that sometimes made her question the path she had chosen.
Throughout her career as a caregiver, Alice has created strong bonds with those she cares for, even though some experiences have been emotionally challenging. One of Alice’s most memorable clients was a woman with ALS, who she grew close to after eight years of caring for her. “She was a very nice and beautiful lady,” she recalls warmly. As her disease progressed, Alice witnessed the heartbreaking reality of ALS. “She started deteriorating in just a few months,” she shares. Watching someone she had grown so fond of begin to fade was unbelievably difficult. “I thought, should I continue?” After the client passed away, Alice took a break from caregiving to work in sales. But, as she says, “I always find my way back.”
“The bond that I have with the clients just keeps on pushing me to go back to caregiving.”
– Alice M, Caregiver at LifeWorx
The bonds she forms are built on respect and patience; qualities she holds close when entering a new home. Alice takes her time to understand each client. “I want to know them, their background,” she says. “I work to gain their confidence and get them to trust in me.” Trust is fundamental in such an intimate role.
Alice received a special request one day from her client. “She asked me, ‘Tomorrow, when you come in the morning, can you wash my hair?’” Alice recounts. Though she suggested the nightshift caregiver could do it, the woman insisted, “’What if I want you to do it?’” The next morning, Alice helped bathe her, styled her hair, dressed her in nice clothes, and put on some perfume. After receiving a compliment from a maintenance man, the client gave all the credit to Alice. What Alice didn’t know at the time was that it would be last moments she would share with her client. “The next day she was gone,” Alice says softly.
“The role of caregiving is very demanding and complex,” she explains, particularly when dealing with clients with dementia or other challenging conditions. Some may resist medication, even lashing out physically. But Alice leads with empathy. “It’s a disease. They’re not doing it just because they want to hurt you.” Instead of reacting, Alice has learned to exercise patience and compassion, recognizing her clients’ behavior stems from illness, not malice.
“Alice gives it her all and is always willing to help. She continues to go above and beyond for each client.”
– Jennifer Alves, Client Relations Manager
Despite the emotional toll it can take, she continues to find purpose in her work. Caregiving isn’t easy, Alice acknowledges that. But ultimately, she knows that it is where she belongs. The deep connections she forms with her clients and the fulfillment she finds in helping others are what make her such a valuable and noteworthy caregiver at LifeWorx.