Family Support Worker, Christiana Richmond, graciously welcomed us into her home to exemplify the essence of family caregiving. Christiana provides care to her elderly mother, who suffers from dementia, and describes herself as her mother’s “arms and legs”.
She shares, “Mum often forgets what I am doing, and can get easily irritated at times… I have learned how to manage her moods better through the dementia training I attend.”
Despite the challenges in Christiana’s journey in supporting her Mama, she finds the duty equally rewarding as it is challenging. “Mum gives me joy and laughter every day… she is thankful for what I do for her.” Her mother going into a retirement home is not an option for Christiana; she would much prefer to keep her mother at home with her.
“I can find money again when Mum’s gone, but I can’t find her again. I would rather be poor and have her well looked after – making sure she gets what she needs. She sacrificed for me so it’s my turn to do the same for her.”
Daily, Christiana ensures all her Mama’s needs are met by keeping her clean, maintaining a tidy house, and being the ultimate caregiver to her. Witnessing Christiana’s unwavering love and care for her Mama is truly inspiring, and we are grateful for every amazing family support worker we have here at Pacific Homecare.
