A smile goes a long way

Frost Manor PSW and her relationships at the home

August 1, 2012 -- Kristian Partington

Frost Manor personal support worker (PSW) Sue Cardona is the type of person who helps a shift run smoothly, just by being at the home with her calm demeanour and even temperament.

As administrator Connie Daly says, the 20-year long-term care veteran is “kind and very patient; always smiling, even when the going gets tough.”

Cardona’s philosophy is simple and it serves her well in terms of the relationships she has with the residents she serves.

“If you give a resident respect, they give it back to you,” she says.

She’s sometimes asked by residents why she’s so happy all the time and her answer is that if she were in an “ugly” mood, respect would be hard to come by and residents would likely be more difficult to work with.

They tend to agree with that assessment, Cardona says.

When she first started hr long-term care career, the job was very much about tasks and schedules, but today she says more emphasis is placed on knowing each of the residents to better understand their choices, desires and needs.

Relationships are at the core of compassionate care, and Cardona has always worked with that in mind. Daly says it’s for this reason that Cardona is considered an anchor in the home that keeps things running smoothly.

No one instance stands out in Daly’s mind of Cardona’s compassion in action — it’s constant through every shift.

“When the residents come in, we find out what their life was like prior to that,” Cardona says.

“One of my main things is if I can get to know them better, then I get to know their quirks, so it makes it easier. You get to know their routine and what they like and what they don’t like.”

And of course, her constant smile goes a long way.

If you have a story to share about a person in your home who stands out, please contact 800-294-0051, ext. 24, or e-mail kristian(at)axiomnews.ca.

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