Taking Time

by Aubri Kitson

It was precisely 5:31 pm and everybody was gathered in a room at the back of a building. Watery eyes were seemingly staring into space, and shaking hands were hanging in the air. Those same hands had a thick red liquid slowly crawling down them, spattering onto the floor. This may seem like a disaster, but it’s everyday life here at the Columbia County Nursing Home. Dinner time can be chaos, but it’s not always this similar to a crime scene.

Caring for those who can’t take care of themselves offers many different rewards. Especially when, as a student, you manage to do something for a resident that the certified nursing assistants don’t typically do. Most CNAs at the Columbia County Nursing Home hurry through each of their tasks, and don’t take the time to truly connect with the residents, as sad as it is to say. I can understand that after you’ve been doing the same job for a long time, you just want to get the job done, but that’s completely different when there are actual suffering people involved. And what the CNAs seemingly fail to realize is that if they put themselves in the resident’s shoes, the treatment that they receive wouldn’t be up to par. The saddest part about this entire situation is that it’s not like the residents want to be there: some of them even despise it. Caring for the residents in a way that we would want our closest loved one to be cared for is our job. I’m not trying to come across as a know-it-all, there is so much that I’m dying to learn, but I just wish I could make some people realize that each decision we make affects those around us.

Before I discovered by passion for nursing, I wanted to be a masseuse. I have always had this undying need deep in my soul to help people and make them feel good. So naturally I really enjoy giving the residents massages before putting them to bed, to relax their muscles before a long night of rest. There aren’t words to describe how grateful they are to receive a massage. One woman even exclaimed to me: “Nobody ever does this for me!” And another one, with dementia mind you, whispered “thank you” after massaging her. If that doesn’t break your heart, I don’t know what will.

Rewards are always around the corner with this job, but when days are bad, they’re bad. There’s one man who I took care of a couple of weeks ago who was in an incredible mood. We were joking with each other, and messing around that night like we typically do. That is until about a about a week ago when he took a turn for the worse He suffered from a minor stroke, which lead him into being unresponsive for quite a spell. Not to worry, he’s recovering as I write this, but not without consequence: he’s now trying to overcome pneumonia. It’s amazing that when someone starts to get old, everything can change at the drop of a dime.

My family is a tight knit group of people who would do anything for each other. And you may be thinking, aren’t most families that way? The answer to that would be a definite no. There are handfuls of residents who were admitted because nobody wanted to take the time out of their day to care for them, and some residents don’t even have family that come in to visit. I can understand that everybody’s situation is different, but there’s a quote from a children’s TV show that I wish everyone lived by, “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” Personally I could never imagine leaving a family member, or close friend, with strangers to care for them. This is why I take the time to do as much as I can for the residents when I’m caring for them. Engaging in conversation with them, showing them my love, and letting them know that I am there if they need me is my goal each time I set foot into a new bedroom. While putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can be difficult, by doing so, you can give them the care they yearn for.