Providing the support that allows Mainers to age in peace

Rachel is a Personal Support Specialist who works with older Mainers, providing the support they need that allows them to continue living independently in their own homes and communities.

What do you do for work, and what communities of people do you work with?

I work with the older generation. I help with housework, personal care, grocery shopping—just enough so that they can stay in their homes. Usually, they don’t know what they need done, so I say, “Well, what do you have a hard time doing?” Then, I will do it. It often involves cleaning, and just any kind of regular household chore that most of us take advantage of that they can’t do anymore.  

How did you get into this line of work?

I had gone to work for a behavioral agency. It didn’t quite work out for me, but I had my Mental Health and Rehabilitation Technician I (MHRT-I) certification, and with that, you get your Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA), which means that you can give medications. So, I applied at Woodlands Senior Living, and they put me in the unit working with individuals living wtih Alzheimer’s disease. It was so fulfilling, just to help these people and be there with them. I eventually decided I wanted to do home care—to go into people’s homes and take care of them one-on-one. I can’t imagine doing anything else. This is my career; this is my life. I love my job. I am glad that I’ve had this job. It has been a great line of work for me to go into because I’m a natural caregiver. I love caring for people. I’ve always helped people. I’ve helped my family. I’ve helped my friends. I like going into someone’s home to help with whatever they need.

What do you enjoy about your work?

I don’t know how many times I have been told, “I am so glad that you have been able to come here, so I can stay home.” Their families have also always been so grateful. They’re like, “I’m so glad that you have come in and helped out.”

After a good day at work, I feel accomplished. I like doing things with my hands. I like helping people. I like being able to go into homes and help someone stay in their home. I always feel like, “I got this accomplished today. This person was so happy. I am so glad I can go home—and know that they’re happy themselves.”

Working one-on-one, I think you can get a better rapport—and you can really, really focus on that person and what they need done. To really understand what they need, you have to look at their body language and what they’re not telling you. I’ve gotten really good at that. 

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting into the field?

The training is fairly easy. Of course, it has book work that you have to do because there are rules and regulations, but it’s mostly on-the-job training. I do think that for someone who goes into home care, they should work in a facility first, so that they can get that hands-on experience before they go out into someone’s home.