Care Pro Spotlight: Nurliyana Ahmad Din
Being a caregiver can be extremely rewarding and is truly a brave calling. Not only are caregivers responsible for meeting the physical needs of their patients, but they also promote overall happiness and stable mental well being for them, which is not a simple feat.
Continue reading to find out how Nurliyana is improving the lives of her Care Recipients and what makes home care particularly appealing to her!
Get to know Nurliyana!
Nurliyana is our Care Professional based in Johor. With her 6 years experience in the surgical ward as a Nurse Assistant and her cheerful disposition, she found herself to be fit for the caregiving role with Homage. In both her personal and professional life, she is reputable for being amiable and dedicated, which makes her stand out as a caregiver.
What is it like working with Homage?
Homage is a great platform for you to earn a good income while having the flexibility. The support that I have received from the Homage team has also been amazing, I will choose this career any other day.
Your care and support have impacted your Care Recipients gracefully and helped them to recover successfully. Can you elaborate how you have provided your care and what kind of support that has been given for you to be able to achieve this?
I didn’t view my caregiving job as a chore but rather a bonding experience. Tender loving care is the best way to boost someone’s spirit. I always keep in mind that the seniors were once independent and now require dependence from a carer for encouragement and assistance.
-Care Pro Nurliyana
My learnings from my experience – give the seniors as much control as possible. As caregivers, we should involve the care recipients in the decision-making process. Ask questions such as, “What clothes would you like to wear today?” and “When would you like to take a walk?”
As the seniors become stronger, do not rush them into new activities as it takes time to regain strength. At times, the seniors may not want to do any new exercises, saying, “I can’t,” but what they really meant is, “I’m scared.” Hence, introduce new activities slowly and explain them in detail.
Working in the ward is surely different from home visits. What do you find the most difficult about this environment shift and what have you done to overcome it?
Working in hospital settings had continually challenged my skills as there was always a constant influx of new patients, the vast majority of whom only remained in the facility for a short term. This has helped to develop my medical knowledge and keep my practical skills sharp. A hospital setting also means that expert assistance from the nursing team is right around the corner which makes it completely different from home care, where you mostly operate on your own.
Working in patients’ homes has enabled me to treat the seniors fully instead of merely focusing on only a single ailment or set of conditions. This requires caregivers like me to meet a patient’s mental and social needs, not merely their physical ones. For many who have gravitated toward home care visits as their vocation, the residential care setting can be highly gratifying.
As a nurse assistant, you must have encountered a lot of difficult patients. (eg: refuse to bathe, eat their meals, or take their medicine). Can you tell us how you deal with this kind of patient? Any tips for all Care Pros out there?
Of course, difficult patients are unavoidable and dealing with them often leads to increased stress levels within your practice. I know it can be hard, but even when someone is being abrasive and difficult, respond in kindness.
I will usually handle them by acknowledging the situation by saying, “I understand why you are upset” or “I am here for you”. Most importantly, remain calm and take charge of your own emotions. Patients might project their anger towards the carer due to personal issues but never take it personally.
Be sure to keep your perspective straight and your mind on reasonable solution to the issue they’re facing.
-Care Pro Nurliyana
Have you ever faced any burnout before? If yes, what have you done in order to overcome it?
Yes, I used to take care of my father before I moved out to Johor because my father had high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. One of the perks of working with Homage is the flexibility. I could take visits during times that are feasible to me, which would usually give me enough time to rest while attending to all my family commitments.
Whenever things get a little bit overwhelming, I would make sure to take a break and spend my time with my kids at home. My family is my therapy and I am happy to just spend quality time together at home like watching movies, playing with my kids and organizing my house.
What inspired or motivated you to be a Care Professional?
I want a job that has the potential to make a difference in someone’s life. I enjoy working with people and the one-on-one interaction with others, hence why I find pleasure in taking care of the seniors.
Seeing the Care Recipient happy and recovering gives me joy.
What is the most impactful or memorable experience you had taking care of a Care Recipient?
There is a Care Recipient of mine who used to be bedridden and didn’t even have the strength to walk. I would try to give emotional support and encouragement for her to get out of bed and start small by walking with my assistance. I would make sure that she does some light arm and leg exercises to stimulate her muscles. After a few visits, she can now walk with minimal assistance and is motivated to do it every day. I am glad my encouragement helped her mentally and stimulated improvements to her physical health.
Would you recommend others to start their caregiving journey with Homage? Why?
I would 100% recommend Homage to others. The flexibility and the contentment that you get from working in this rewarding field is priceless. On top of that, you will get paid higher than the market rate, which makes it all worth it in the end. If you’re looking for a sign, this is it!
-Care Pro Nurliyana
Offering Primary Caregivers Respite and Support
Homage has many caregivers from different walks of life with the common goal to help seniors and adults in their road to recovery. Our home care and support is aimed at empowering them to continue living healthy, fulfilling lives. At Homage, working as a Care Professional grants you a wide array of opportunities and advantages:
- Stay flexible with a better work-life balance as a freelance, part-time or full-time Care Professional
- Receive a stable income or competitive salary package that corresponds to their knowledge, skillset, and experience
- Gain opportunities to work with us regularly and tier up in your career pathway as a Care Professional
- Upgrade your skills with holistic and specialised training and certifications from our training partners and in-house specialists
