Today is Personal Support Worker Day in Ontario and we’re celebrating the hard work and dedication of our Community Support Workers (CSWs) across the province.
Did you know that the Canadian Red Cross is one of the largest non-profit providers of personal support and homemaking services in Ontario? Last year, our workers provided 3.7 million hours of care to 24,000 clients. Incredible! And as our population continues to age, the work of our dedicated staff becomes even more invaluable by helping people to remain living independently in their homes longer.
Meet a few of our CSWs!
Vivian Ubera became a Red Cross CSW in Toronto in 1998 after making a career switch. She loves the challenge of her work and is very proud to work for Red Cross – an organization she first heard about while growing up in the Philippines. According to her, one of the hardest parts of her work is saying goodbye to a client after working with them for so long.
Solveig Oborn started her career as a CSW in 1994 after living in many different countries around the world. She now lives and works in Huntsville and Muskoka. “You just pitch in and do it when you have the gift to help people,” she says. “Some people can’t make it without help to do their daily tasks.”
Maria Nicolas has been assisting those in need in Toronto for 19 years as a CSW. With a background in healthcare, the job was a natural fit for her when she emigrated here from the Philippines. Her first client is one that she can never forget; she worked with him several years until he passed away. “It makes me feel good that I can help elderly people who really need some help,” she says.
Do you know of a CSW doing outstanding work? Tell us about them in the comment box below.
To learn more about Red Cross Homecare Services in Ontario click here.