I have worked at SAHN for two years. I know most people can’t truthfully say this, but I absolutely can: I love my job 100%. Management always has my back; they prioritize my safety and can always be counted on to provide support and constructive feedback when needed. At SAHN I feel that who I am, and what I do, really matters.
It’s been a perfect fit at SAHN: I knew right from the start this was the work I was meant to do. I have a new sense of purpose now.
Sometimes in life surprising opportunities arise out of crisis. No one knows this better than SAHN Personnel Support Worker Natasha Paddock. Educated as a teacher and ECE, she worked as an educator in private schools for eighteen years. She loved both working with children and the ongoing professional development her chosen career provided. Still, the work could be draining, and she began to experience a sense of burn-out after the birth of her first two children, one of whom had special needs. Intuitively, she felt her nurturing skills could be better utilized. She took an extended maternity leave after the birth of her third child, both to support her child with special needs but also to reflect on what new direction her professional life might take going forward. But when her maternity leave ended in the spring of 2020, Natasha found herself in a highly unexpected place: she was a newly single mother of three young children at the outset of a global pandemic.
The challenges she faced in this unprecedented and difficult situation eventually led to her connecting with Stay At Home Nursing. Right from the start, it was a harmonious match: SAHN was thrilled with the wealth of professional skills and experience Natasha brough to the job and Natasha loved the work. “I love working closely with a family, with a client. The way we become a team,” she says. “It’s been a perfect fit at SAHN: I knew right from the start this was the work I was meant to do. I have a new sense of purpose now.” Natasha was also incredibly grateful for the culture of support and the scheduling flexibility at SAHN.
“I felt recognized and respected as a mother, which was of upmost importance to me,” she explains. She has now worked for SAHN for two years and still loves it. “I know most people can’t truthfully say this, but I absolutely can: I love my job 100%. Management always has my back; they prioritize my safety and can always be counted on to provide support and constructive feedback when needed. At SAHN I feel that who I am, and what I do, really matters.”
Natasha takes pride in her ability to connect with clients. “Certain skills are easy to learn,” she explains. “But a sense of compassion, or empathy? You can’t teach those. Those are prerequisites of the job.” When connecting with a new client, Natasha finds that establishing consistency in daily routines is critical. This, she explains, is the fastest way to build a sense of trust and familiarity. Next, she looks for ways to build a deeper connection and find shared common ground: what is their favorite song? A favorite activity? “Sometimes I’ll ask what a client’s favorite TV program is, and then I’ll watch it myself when I’m at home, so that we have something to chat about the next time I visit.” It’s all about finding ways to bring a smile to her client’s face. “I want to discover that spark that lights them up,” she says. “Happiness, being content, is one thing. Joy is another. For my clients, I strive to find that joy.”
While there is joy, there is also daily challenges. “It’s a job that comes with a lot of emotions,” Natasha explains, acknowledging that caregiving is demanding on many levels. “When you are supporting someone who is experiencing a great deal of pain, or distress, it can be very draining,” she says. “It’s hard to not worry about them even when your shift is over.” Zumba classes, weightlifting, quality time with family and friends all contribute to Natasha staying strong and grounded physically, mentally, and emotionally. “And sometimes you just have to take a time out and breathe. Tell yourself: I can do this. I can do this today. Then remind yourself to reconnect with the things you are most grateful for.”
As challenging as the work can sometimes be, ultimately Natasha finds it to be incredibly fulfilling. “I feel so privileged to spend time with people who have so much experience and who bring so much to the table: the stories, the memorabilia, the living history of their lives. It blows my mind; I love hearing all the stories.” For Natasha, feeling like she has a tangible impact in someone’s day-to-day life is the most fulfilling of all. “I had a client give me a card that read you are the sunshine in my day,” she explains, momentarily tearing up. “Caregiving can be hard work but those are the moments that make you feel all the feels. Makes you realize that it’s the clients, really, that are the ones bringing you joy.”
