Why I do what I do

I attended a conference today at Michigan State University.  I walked away feeling refreshed and it also reminded me of why I do what I do.  It was six long years ago that I was lucky enough to literally fall into working with the older population.  Who would have thought that I, who wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and work with special needs children, would find myself striving to help the elderly and persons with disabilities? (I guess that children and the elderly do have some similarities. For instance pooping their pants, no control or care about what they say to you, and even sometimes carrying around their dolls).  Whatever it may be, I know that I owe this passion to various life events, and many people that I have come across so far.  Ultimately though, I feel, as I owe it all to my grandma. Just her life story in its self, has taught me so many things.  She experienced so many life-changing events, and nonetheless was compassionate, thoughtful, audacious, truthful, generous, and high-spirited.  The way she carried herself, showed me that even during life's "road-bumps" you could still be passionate about life and the people that are in it.  Along with her traits and my hankering to hear limitless stories, I can truly say that I love what I do!

So what is it about my job?

• It is the knowledge, the hopefulness, and the perseverance when I meet someone new.
• It is when I am approached by a 60-year-old man, asking me to “please help me get out of this place”, and I actually can.
• It is meeting new people who share the same devotion and desire to help others.
• It is the fact that I have the knowledge and resources of something important.
• It is the times that I meet the 97-year-old women, who ask me “if I can help her get ready for the Prom”-true story, she wanted me to help her escape from the Nursing Home to get ready for the prom. 

Not that I have many followers, but if you are interested to hear more about my job and more specifically what I do below are some links that will help. 


http://seniorservices1.org/michoicepage.htm

http://nfti.prosynergy.org/