My New Job

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As a health-care worker with the elderly, I never know when my job will end. My client was doing fine when I went home for the weekend, as usual. Early Monday morning, I got a call from my supervisor, saying that my client was sick and had been taken to the hospital. In less than a week, she was sent to hospice. She was lively and fun to be around; I missed her and was really sad. At the same time, I had to think about getting another job.

I wanted to try a new agency, so I decided to take some time off. It was close to Christmas, and I hadn’t been home for a long time, so I took a two-week vacation in Trinidad to be with my family. I planned to start looking for a job after I came back. While I was on vacation, my friend called me and told me about an agency with a lot of jobs, which was looking for people with experience. I took the number, and as soon as I got back, I called the agency to make an appointment. Before the manager finished speaking to me, she asked if I could come in the next day. I was hired right away and sent to a job that same morning. 

My client was a 79-year-old lady with dementia. As I got to her door and rang the bell, I heard her running to the door. She opened it with very aggressive behavior, looking confused and complaining, “I’m late for my doctor’s appointment.” I had to step away from her to get control of my thoughts and think fast how to handle this situation. As I stepped into her home, I said, “Good Morning, Mrs. Thomas. How are you today? My name is Judith Johnson from Steps Health Care Agency. I will be your caregiver.” She said, “I need to get dressed and go to my doctor’s appointment.” I said to her, “I was told your appointment is tomorrow.” She kept saying, “No! It is today.”

Eventually, I had to call my supervisor to convince my new client that her appointment was the next day. I promised, “I will take you on time.” Then she calmed down. I asked her if she had eaten, and she said, “No.” I said, “I will make you breakfast. What would you like to eat?” She said, “I like to go to the restaurant across the street. Would you like to come with me?” I said, “Yes, I would.” We had a beautiful morning, and she had a good day. At the end of my shift, she asked, “Can you come back tomorrow?” I said, “Sure. Remember, I have to take you to your doctor’s appointment tomorrow,” and she said, “Yes, I remember.” 

Because it was a new job, I had to call my supervisor at the end of my shift to tell her how the day went. She was in shock because Mrs. Thomas never asked for a caretaker to come back. The agency was always looking for someone new to send to her. Now, I have been working with Mrs. Thomas for six months, and she is doing better.

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''Judith Johnson writes: “I am from Trinidad and Tobago. I came to America on March 16, 1986, leaving my two children back home. That was the hardest thing to do, but it all paid off in the end.” Judith Johnson’s writing was published in LR18. She studies at Brooklyn Public Library’s Eastern Parkway Adult Learning Center. Kenneth Swaby is her tutor, and Donna Alleyne is the site manager.