Mother's stroke leads to new career

Out of every crisis comes opportunity – just ask Kerrie Thompson.

Thompson, a third generation Nanaimoite, discovered a whole new career after her mother developed dementia and suffered a stroke.

“I believe everything happens for a reason,” said Thompson, a student in Malaspina University-College's 24-week Home Support/Resident Care Attendant (HSRCA) certificate program. “I’ve discovered my true passion. I have an affinity for being a caregiver, something I never knew I had."

Thompson, 49, spent most of her adult life working in the hospitality industry. She took a break from her job as a food and beverage manager to care for her mother, who developed dementia two years ago. “Mom moved in with me and had a stroke eight months later,” explained Thompson. “She had to move into a senior’s home where they could provide 24-hour care.”

That's when Thompson began to think about her future. She did not want to return to the hospitality industry, and realized how much she had enjoyed being a caregiver.

Thompson completed prerequisite courses in Foodsafe and CPR at Malaspina’s Parksville/Qualicum Centre , and then signed up for the HSRCA program in September. “I''m almost two months into the program and just love it," she said. “It’s exactly the type of training I was hoping for.”

Judi Bledsoe, Chair of Malaspina's HSRCA program said home support and resident care attendants use their hands, hearts and minds to help and support adults experiencing changes in their functional abilities. “You assist to provide and support their basic needs through maximizing their strengths and encouraging their independence,” she explained.

Malaspina offers the full-time HSRCA certificate program in Nanaimo, Powell River and Cowichan. Course work includes classroom discussions, hands-on experience in the nursing lab, as well as in the clinical setting.

With the region's changing demographics, it's expected there will be over 350 employment opportunities for home and resident care workers on Vancouver Island by 2008, said Bledsoe. "There are plenty of jobs out there. Graduates have found employment with our local health authorities (Vancouver Island Health Authority and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority) and other agencies (public, affiliated and private). Some of our former students work as community health workers in the home support setting, assisted living/supported housing and as resident care attendants in adult day care, complex care facilities and special needs units."

Faculty member Denise Andersen, who also serves as a nurse leader for Nanaimo and Gabriola Home Support, agrees the health care field is a growing industry. Some graduates work in the field for a few years, and then return to Malaspina to pursue additional training in the Practical Nurse or Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs.

Pursuing new opportunities is exactly what student and single mother Jennifer Aubichon has planned. Now 30, Aubichon enrolled in the Home Support and Resident Care Attendant certificate program after a seven-year career as a bank teller. "I wasn't happy," recalled Aubichon, "so I quit my job at the bank and started working as a housekeeper at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. I've been working on the pyschiatric unit for three-and-a-half years and discovered that I really enjoy working in the health care field. I know the HSRCA program will open new doors for me. I may use this as a stepping stone to become a nurse."

Thompson, meanwhile, wants to share a valuable life lesson with other mature adults thinking about returning to school. “It's never too late to step outside of your comfort zone and pursue a new path," she said. "You can do anything if you put your mind to it. The program is demanding but fun. I can’t wait to get up in the morning to come to school. The interaction with elderly clients is wonderful."

February 2008 is the next intake for Malaspina's Home Support/Resident Care Attendant certificate program, and there are no waitlists. For information, go to viu.ca/hhs/hsrca.