When Pacific Homecare staff saw how competently and compassionately Shirley Lata cared for her disabled father-in-law, they offered her a position with the organisation caring for other clients.
With her experience caring for her father-in-law, Shirley was a perfect fit for a Support Worker role for an organisation that provides home-based health care services to the disabled and the elderly throughout South Auckland. For the past five years, the Fijian-Indian has been dedicated to caring for her clients. She’s busy at work supporting seven clients, then returns home to care for her husband and two children.
While homecare and support work comes naturally to Shirley, she only began working in the area after migrating to New Zealand from Fiji.
“I was working at a resort in Fiji, housekeeping, waitressing,” she recalls.
“In 2006 I visited New Zealand before getting residency. We love it here.”
She adds that working at Pacific Homecare is like working with one large family.
“I love the company – it’s like a big family – the Coordinators are great and I have a lot of interaction with them and the other Support Workers.”
Shirley is close with her clients, who are all “lovely” and tell her they miss her when she is away.
It is her love for her clients, the enjoyment she gains from caring for others and her love of conversation with people that she says are the highlights of her role.
“I really like chatting to my clients, getting to know them and learning their histories, where they have come from and all about them,” she adds.
She says their conversations are varied and entertaining.
One client who died last year has made a big impact on Shirley.
“I provided his personal care. He was on dialysis, had a stroke and was paralysed. He used to call me night and day if he needed any extra help, and he felt comfortable doing that,” she says.
“Now I am working for his wife. She knows me well and there is a continuity of care.”
Shirley adds she plans to stay working at PHC as she loves it so much – Support Work and PHC are a perfect fit for her, too.
