Care and Compassion Can Change Attitudes and Behaviors

I believe if I care and if I am compassionate with elderly people, I can change their attitudes and make their lives a lot easier in the nursing home. Some older people that live in a nursing home have changes in their moods and behaviors. I think the reason is because they are home sick. They miss their families and their homes.

Working for a nursing home as a housekeeper gives me the satisfaction of knowing that I am making a difference in somebody’s life. I always thought that nobody cared about housekeepers, but after a while, I realized that my job was really important. I have direct contact with residents, and I have the opportunity to be part of their everyday lives. I get to be more than just the housekeeper, but more like another family member who comes every day and makes some time to talk to them, helps them with anything they need, and makes them feel comfortable, just like being at home and not like a nursing home.

I remember a resident that was there just waiting for her life to end. She was always on her bed and in a bad mood. I wondered how she felt. At times she was mean to the staff. She did not let anybody but nursing staff enter her room. I was aware of her behavior. The first time I tried to clean her room she said, “NO!” I tried the next day but received the same response. I knew she had been there for several days already, and her room needed to be cleaned. I did not give up and kept trying until she accepted, but she told me exactly what she wanted me to do and I did as she requested. Every time I went to her room, I would greet her nicely with a smile and ask how she was doing, and before I left the room, I made sure to thank her and ask if there was anything else she wanted me to do for her. One day I was sent to work in a different hallway. Another housekeeper tried to get in her room and do what I always did, but I was really surprised that this particular woman requested me to clean her room. She wouldn’t allow anyone else to get in her room but me. At that moment I knew that caring and compassion can change elderly peoples’ attitudes. Before she passed away, she gave away small boxes of chocolates and said “Thank you for your help,” but only to certain staff members–and I was one of them.

I am proud of being a housekeeper and I believe I make a difference in some of these residents’ lives who live in a nursing home. Knowing that they acknowledge my presence in the building and that I am a useful person for them give me the satisfaction to come to work and do my job to the best of my abilities to fulfill their expectations.