Cakap-cakap with Our Care Pros

Sarah Anati16min

Bibiana

00:07

Most of my career I spent actually in pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. And then I developed an interest in training. And then I actually, first off, I love teaching. During the weekends. I'll teach children English. And then lately, I kind of stumble upon Homage. And that's how I got into caregiving. But along the way, it's also been a self discovery journey before arriving where I am right now.

Rohani

00:48

Back in - before 2016 I was a banker in one of the local banks. I quit my job after my husband passed away. And then I decided to you know, just hang around and check my interest. Okay, so what I did was that I took courses, I took courses because I thought that maybe you know, can continue my career later or what. So I took IT Service Management courses, financial technical for my investment, you know. Cause not earning anymore right. Okay. Then I also of course went for the elderly care and the basic life saving and CPR.

Anthony

01:25

The interest grew from my previous - when I was, when I was in Canada. So, I put out my family in Canada. So being a foreign boy in foreign soil, it's difficult to get what I wanted to, even with the experience. So I digressed into caregiving. And because of a large population of senior citizens where I lived in the West Coast. So I soon got my papers and soon got my job as a caregiver in a senior home.

Bibiana

02:05

I think I was not. Because I would not have been mature enough, and I won't be so tolerant and patient when I was much younger. Because looking back, when my mom was looking after my grand aunt and there are times when she asked for my help to, you know feed her while she goes for her work, and when it interferes with my activities, I get irritated. So, looking back, I wouldn't have been matured to handle caregiving, as I have now.

Rohani

02:51

I think I would because I think that, you know, when when I was in college I was exposed to the social work club, the social work club. Okay so then you know, I had to deal with the blind, the deaf, autistic children, that kind of thing. So, yeah, I think it would have been, it would have been good to have caregiving in that list you know, because it was really an eye-opener for me, for me, I know that it is something that everyone in their lifetime must try and should be you know, should be one thing you know, the desire to want to contribute in those areas must be there. You know for everybody before the end of their life. For me you know, it's very important, you know. Even though last time my late husbnad doesn't share this with me. But, but still it's okay you know he doesn't want to do it, I can still pursue, you know. Like the tsunami case back in Kuala Kedah last time I was there at the village. So you know, I saw the aftermath of the tsunami and that was really an eye opener for me. So these kind of things are for me, is charitable contribution growth for the soul.

Anthony

04:05

I mean in retrospective, if you look at the Malaysian's work - Asians for example per se. Asians, their mother and father and parents want to push their children, they will not gently nudge their children to be engineers, to be doctors, to have their degrees in law and all, business studies. That's, that's generally where I come from. My family comes from an engineering background. So, when I have my eldest sibling which is my brother,he was involved in engineering. That's really watch me into getting an engineer job. So, but that is not the end of it, the things is sure you get success you get - I mean the main part of it is monetary gain. But then part of it you know you don't get passion out from things and you will not have gratification or satisfaction. So slowly, slowly you move into things like, yes, if I would have been given the scenario of the landscape in the younger days because palliative care is caregiving, specialities in old age, in seniors was not a formulated field in those days. So if you see that it's not a formulated field, what do you do? You create your own space and you create a job. So that's what I picked it up. Yes, indeed, if it is given to me at an earlier age, so why not I can branch out. And that's one of the reasons that I can see the many aspects that I can also, like, given back to what I've learned and I know to society. So, it's a lot more experience gained and also satisfaction in my preference I guess.

Rohani

06:12

I would assume with that question is, if I get sick, right. So my wish is that I die healthy you know, okay. But however, I've seen a lot, a lot of gadgets , you know, they have all these patient toys and then they have the electric wheelchair and then they have the electric staircase lift you know. You know those are like - like owning an iPhone, you know, I would like to have those those conveniences. When the time comes, and I'm not well, you know. I would rather be independent you know, than to you know, sick, what do you call that, impose on my family. I do understand that they have their own life. Now I have two girls, they have their own lives. But I do just hope they don't abandon me, you know. However, you know, I would be very, very happy if I can be independent. I went to Melbourne, i see all these seniors going to the supermart you know in their own electric wheelchair. That's kind of life to me -to me that is not what we. You know, sometimes Asians we say children got no filial piety, you know they forgot how to look after their parents. For me, now times have chanegd. We appreciate our children, they will appreciate us. And now that I'm doing this caregiving on this part-time basis. I hope they see, even though I don't know tell them this will be a lesson for you. You know, I just want them to observe and see and to know that you know how I care, they should also care in return. But I won't impose on them.

Anthony

07:55

So, how would I want to be treated like is like what I've been giving to any care recipient now. I would like to receive what I've been giving in my twilight years. If not, I've been training my children to do that. In that case that's a bag up for me I guess. I get this, maybe my innate nature that I don't believe in health scare shots and all. I believe in preparation before I go to twilight years.

Bibiana

08:29

I would love to be taken care of by someone who's got genuine love. I feel that when someone has genuine love, compassion, care patients understanding, they all come under love and without love caregiving is not as complete, I would say.

Bibiana

09:00

Definitely.

Rohani

09:02

Oh yes.

Anthony

09:03

You definitely get a lot more experience in terms of challenges you've been through. Because I'm a true believer of you won't grow unless there's challenges, you won't grow until there are problems in front of you. I'm not talking about just, tomorrow I won't read. I'm talking about problems like you have suffering. The Hard Knocks they call overseas. So going through those challenges, I think experienced comes up, definitely. When you say there's an older CP, I think that it's definitely a plus point when you have more experience. But having said that, there are people who in nature, they have that care personality they truly want to offer their best in terms of caring people. There's some exception to it.

Rohani

09:58

I believe that you know because of all my life's experience and all that, right. I had the advantage where you know, been there done that kind of thing. And I think the empathy will be more because you know, it's like for me like you know I'm looking after the elderly. And then I'm also telling myself, no look someday you might be there, you might not be there, you know. You might die healthy or you might reach this stage okay. So I had that - I had that feeling you know, and you know, at the same time, you know, that things will go well for everybody. So I also have this poem that I would like to recite is the first four lines of William Blake's Auguries of Innocence. The poem goes like this, to see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wildflower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour. So, that poem is actually very touching to me because you know, it helps us to realise, even in a wildflower, a small wildflower, it actually promises us heaven. Okay, and that do not look down on the tiny grain of sand, because whatever the effort you provide to others, it actually counts.

Bibiana

11:15

You begin to understand that life has a beginning and an end. And in between that, we have struggles. Struggles with diseases, growing old, that none of us want. But we have no choice because that's part of life. When I understand that, I am able to look at things from a different perspective. How we can actually make a difference by treating fellow human beings with love, respect and understanding.

Bibiana

12:01

I'd say continue to love your care recipients and your loved ones. Because it takes a big heart to be a caregiver. Make a difference in the lives of your loved ones and the caregivers that you've been destined to meet. We are all broken people and it's an opportunity to offer that hope to someone in their last leg of their life. Maybe they haven't already given up hope. So, it's an opportunity for caregivers to give them that hope. Give them an experience that they matter, they are loved and that they have lived a good life.

Anthony

12:50

Hard work, passion and job satisfaction is one of them. I always believe that everyone has their passion. And we can achieve better and greater heights, if you identify your passion sooner, the better. So when you have a passion, you innovate yourself, you're more creative, think out the box all these neat things you come out from. take it aside that you know, it's not just for monetary gain, because you can be driven to greater heights. I mean, especially if you look poignantly at yourself, you had to, you had to see yourself what you want to be, not what your parents want you to be or what's your neighbour wants you to be. In due respect, this is one thing that all CP, young or old, especially the younger ones. You can achieve greater heights if you want to go for it. Because Care Pro is - is indeed a very vast is very a vast and untapped potential at this point to actually jump into. Give you an example, yesterday, the satisfaction I got from it was the Care owner who came up to me privately and said that what would I do if I don't have you. It's just that - the main part of it, it fuels that - the warmth of that. You cannot put a numbers in there or you cannot put, you cannot quantify, an intangible mount that you receive from that, personally. And you can see the sincerity, especially their loved one being taken care of and can see that there's improvement. Given a chance< I would like to be looked after by my loved ones. Why? Because I'm a parent. And I know the hardship of parents, the sacrifice, the moments that you give up - all up for your kids. I can see that in my parents. What more to give back a part of what they have given me. And it's a reciprocate action I would have given them. So, I would imagine that my kid - my kids and my children would do that. But reflectively, you have to know that some of us are involved in very high demanding job who cannot even offer time for the parents. This is where Homage comes in, this is where we care, we are caring people, that goes into that and learn and live. So that give that give those seniors a better years. After all they've sloughed their way, all their life.

Rohani

15:41

For the young ones I say you continue your good job. Okay, I admire you. Okay, I hope you won't - you won't leave it halfway. Probably you have your career, but never despair, You know, continue to do it you know, because, to me, you're noble you know. You guys are so noble. For the care owners who are taking care of your parents, their parents, aunties, uncles, I think that you know you have these, these, carrying nature in you that you should continue. But at the same time, you know, you take care of your own health, and please continue to you you know, learn how to take care of the elderly because you know we have to take care of our backbone as well right. How to lift, how to keep them happy, how to understand dementia patients right, how to administer the pactches right, to administer the medicine and all that. We don't want you to make any mistakes, right. However, I believe that you are all my heroes and, please, you know, continue with a good job, and God bless all of you.

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