Congratulations to our August Aide of the Month, Hope Dwyer! Hope has been a Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) with FCS Home Care Services since 1999. Hope received her certification through FCS and says she was immediately drawn to the welcoming staff. “I did the course and I knew I wanted to come back because I liked the people,” Hope explained, “and when I went to visit my first client, I really liked her too.”

When asked why she chose to become a CHHA, Hope shared that she had lived in England for 14 years where she worked in hospice care. Hope says the experience she gained from her hospice work lead her to become a home health aide. She recalls how working in hospice care was important but stressful and that she prefers working as a CHHA.

All of FCS’s CHHAs must successfully 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.

Hope was selected to be Aide of the Month for her unwavering commitment to her clients. Three nights a week Hope stays overnight for one of her clients with limited mobility. “If no one is there for her she can’t move.” Details that you would often not think twice about are vital parts of the care that Hope gives. “I’ve got to scratch her nose for her, move her hair out of her face for her, move her hands and feet for her so they don’t stay in one place and get sore.” Said Hope, “Imagine you have to stay in one position for five or six hours, it doesn’t feel good.”

The genuine consideration Hope has for her clients’ wellbeing has assisted in building a strong bond between them. She said, “when I went to England all three of my clients didn’t want anyone else to care for them until I got back.” Even when she is not with them, she has their best interests in mind. “They have exercises that we do every day that their therapist leaves. I urge them that when I’m not there to continue to do their exercises.”

Hope’s advice for anyone considering becoming a home health aide is to “put your best into it. Do the best you can and treat the clients with respect, while respecting their privacy.”

Thank you, Hope, and congratulations!