Congratulations to our January aide of the month. Bertha Dorcius has been working for Family & Children’s Service for more than 15 years. Bertha received her license through a county program.

Bertha’s dream was to complete Brookdale’s Nursing program. While taking classes she decided to explore the Health Care field by pursuing Home Care. She expressed her passion with a friend and discovered FCS needed new aides and applied, and the rest is history. FCS’s programs and services dedicated to helping the vulnerable in the community inspired Bertha to help individuals in need.

All CHHAs must complete 76 hours of specialized training, pass a competency evaluation, and undergo a criminal background check before becoming certified and licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. CHHAs work under the guidance and direction of a Registered Nurse and must undergo training in personal care skills, including bathing, dressing, shopping, meal preparation, Range of Motion assistance, and a variety of other tasks.

Bertha was selected to be the January aide of the month for going beyond her duties. When asked where her client would be without her care, she responded, “My client would be in a nursing home and that’s her fear. My help empowers her and makes her feel independent.”

Bertha assists her client with bathing, laundry and helps with sorting mail. Bertha’s assistance relieves her client of unwanted stress.

She would tell someone who was becoming an aide: “You have to love what you do and have patience, it’s not an easy job but it’s rewarding.”

Thank you, Bertha, for all of your hard work again, congratulations!

Author: Ty-Kiera Brown
Home Care Coordinator