Patricia's Code of Professionalism

Why I love being a home health aide: “I've always been a people person; helping others makes my day.”

What is unique about my job: “My role as a home health aide is to be part family member, part friend and part therapist to my patients.”

Patricia G. has always known she wanted a career that would allow her to care for the elderly. “Helping people is my calling,” says Patricia. “That’s why I became a home health aide—Partners in Care has given me the tools to do what I love.” So, what does it take to be an effective home health aide? After fourteen years with Partners in Care, Patricia says it all comes down to three core values: compassion, professionalism and respect.

Compassion
From the moment she walks through the door, until the very end of each session, Patricia uses soothing speaking tones and gentle humor to put her patients at ease. “Comfort is free, so I make my patients as comfortable as possible,” she says. As experience has taught her, even small touches, like always remembering to greet her patients with a friendly “good morning” and a warm smile, can make all the difference in the world.

Professionalism
“Punctuality is crucial,” says Patricia. “I always arrive 15 minutes early so that I can do my prep work before the appointment starts.” But perhaps the most important skill Patricia has developed as a home health aide with Partners in Care, is the ability to compartmentalize her life. “You have to be strong; you have to leave your own problems at the door,” Patricia explains. It’s the only way to ensure that you’re giving 100 percent of your effort to someone else, all of the time.

Respect
Patricia has encountered some difficult situations in the past. Many of the patients for whom she cares are suffering from advanced progressive diseases and can exhibit aggressive behavior from time to time. If a patient does have an outburst, however, Patricia never takes it personally. “I always try to remember that it’s the disease that’s acting out, not the person,” she says. And of her calmer patients: Patricia says there are no boring days. “I have such a fulfilling job that I can’t wait for morning to come, so I can be with my patients again!”