See What Our Compassionate Caregivers in and Near Bangor, ME Have to Say About Working for Visiting Angels Mid Maine

Visiting Angels Mid Maine believes that it is important to love your career. Loving your job is beneficial in many different ways and it "does not feel like work." You  wake up feeling great about yourself, change peoples lives, contribute to your own happy, healthy life and have motivation to exceed your goals everyday. These benefits and more push people to be more productive and inspire their co-workers. We have seen tremendous strides in our caregiver who love working in home care and are itching to see more in the future! 

Read our feature in the Bangor Daily News' edition of Senior Living Fall 2018

"I have just recently experienced the reality shift from a bystander to a caregiver. As a bystander I watch, without envy, parents caring for their children, children caring for their parents and I shrug off responsibility saying to myself, “If it were my child/family member/friend, I could step up”.  
Not having children of my own, my limited care experience has been while living with my brother, helping with my two nieces. Although it was natural to provide care, wasn’t it, because they were my two, love bug nieces? I’d say, no.

I experienced much of the same fears starting caregiving as I did caring for my nieces. As an analogy, I once was afraid of the dark and first overcame my fears when I guided someone, more vulnerable than I, through a dark hallway.  Courage took hold and the unseen no longer troubled me as I stabilized myself, and them, on my knowledge and experience, that everything will be OK.  A child doesn’t have that knowledge and experience, those suffering with dementia no longer can draw upon their own instincts, and, those declining in years realize they cannot personally act on their foundation of experience.

What surprised me with caregiving was how quickly love replaced fear, and courage overcame hesitations. Washing a clients face with a rag, and being able to feel his features through the material, felt quite similar to the awe I felt as I washed my niece’s face. Here’s a precious person who needs a little help, and it humbles me, fills me with joy, fills me with honor that I’m there to help in such a simple way. Through small acts of kindness, we can make a great impact. As we are all the product of many small experiences, we are each unique in what we can offer the seniors we serve."

--- Isaac Schneider, caregiver for Visiting Angles Mid Maine

 

"We all have heard the old saying “timing is everything.”  In the eyes and hearts of our seniors who have chosen the homecare route our time with them is “their” everything.   

This is evident through the personal interactions our caregivers have with each client, every day. We are assigned for companionship, hospice, personal care, household tasks and meals. The response we receive from our seniors is truly remarkable. The smiles that greet us when we arrive at their door or our seniors eagerly looking through the window blinds when they see a caregiver arrive, tells us how important our time is with them. When days are long for us, they are even longer for our seniors at home. Some days our faces are the only faces they see all day or even for days. When they breathe a sigh of relief when they see you, even if you were just there yesterday, that tells us how much we mean to them.

We become overjoyed when we hear things like “thank God you are here”, “I have been waiting for you”, “I have missed you!”, or “you make my whole day, when you are here”.  When they take your hand and squeeze it, or ask for a hug, we feel truly rewarded. It warms our hearts when the seniors count the days until you come back again and you haven’t even ended your shift yet. When other caregivers are there and the seniors start anticipating the arrival of the next caregiver with excitement because we all bring sunshine into their days. We all offer something different and unique to enrich their routines.  

For seniors that are fortunate enough to be able to receive care at home, verses a nursing home environment, there are some things that are irreplaceable in their eyes. To freely, be able to kick up their heels, dance and sing as long and as loud as they want to, brings an enjoyment like no other. To be able to sit and watch the Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy, and shout out their answers, gives these seniors a spirit to them, that keeps them young at heart. 

Homecare offers a sense of security and safety for seniors within the realms and leisure of their own home.  To be able to walk through their home daily and be able to see, touch, cherish and share their memories means so much to them.  It could be a picture on a wall, an old chair, a knickknack on a stand; or the door frame in the kitchen with their children’s’ names, height and ages on it, from when they were raising their family, we love to share in these stories with them.  It brings joy to their hearts to be able to share these memories of long ago with someone. This means so much to them and us, the caregivers.  

Homecare offers the safety and security that seniors need daily.  It also offers socialization and the one-on-one interaction that nursing homes can’t completely provide.  Homecare is a very much needed service for our seniors and it is an honor to be able to be a caregiver. To be to put a smile on a senior’s face and make their day better, means everything to me." 

--- Tammy Morris, caregiver for Visiting Angels Mid Maine 


"Visiting Angels Mid Maine provides homecare services which allows people to stay at home in familiar surroundings, maintaining independence by providing services in a safe and happy environment.

Caregivers at Visiting Angels Mid Maine are not extraordinary beings with wings and a halo, we are ordinary people, living ordinary lives.  We share our special qualities to make a difference in the lives of our seniors. Homecare with Visiting Angels Mid Maine is many things, tailored to the special needs of those we serve; from assistance after surgery, to making aging a positive meaningful experience, to a new stage in life.

One special service we provide is assistance with nutritional needs.  Eating well is so important at any age but even more necessary for a senior. We can prepare meals, assist with grocery shopping, or simply provide a glass of water.

As Caregivers, we are always ready to assist with managing hygiene tasks, like hand washing, cleaning of the living area, and laundry management. We also love to help with organizing or client’s daily schedule. This can mean helping with medical appointments, daily living functions, or just a friendly reminder that it is time for medications.

We are the angel by the side of you or your loved one, encouraging activity outside of the home for health benefits, to take a walk outside, and socialize with others when possible. By helping our seniors in keeping up with friendships, hobbies, physical exercise, we help them to feel connected to the outside world. These practices seek to improve a person’s overall quality of life.

We are that ear to listen to concerns and worries and to hear about all the joys. We do so in a way that is reassuring and non-judgmental. To assure you it ok to ask for help, we are that helping hand, that together we can accomplish any daily task. Home care is a personal experience, which is why we are always ready to provide encouragement and support.  We aim to put a smile on the face of each of our seniors, because we know that a smile is the key that fits the lock to everyone’s heart.

We are that guardian angel here for you to light the way and help you through your journey and struggles. With an angel by your side, you are never alone." 

--Sheila, Caregiver for Visiting Angels Mid Maine