I loved talking to the residents and being able to do things to make their situations a bit better. I got to work in the dementia unit which was was great for me since I am familiar with it in my own family and tend to be very patient towards them. I loved seeing people with a variety of conditions and also the influence I could have on people. There's no better feeling than hearing a resident was glad you were there today and trusts you to take care of them in such intimate ways.
What I wish was different
I wish there had been more CNAs working there at the time. Because of the high volume of residents we constantly found ourselves struggling to take care of them all which meant it was impossible to always give them the best care possible. It was extremely busy, physically tiring work.
Advice
Be patient, be kind, and be as compassionate as humanly possible. It is so easy for people to get frustrated because the job is so stressful but it is critical you dont take it out on the residents. They are already struggling and don't need another layer of stress to add to their own in their failing health and independence.
