Kenneth Mwirichia
The vision behind this book
I was inspired to write this book because of the great need in the long-term care industry to blend love, compassion, and respect when caring for residents.
The spirit of love and compassion for the work we do and those we care for is vital in long-term care. This sense of caring and concern for residents can never be replaced by advancements in modern technology. Rather it is provided one-on-one, one person at a time.
This book will help readers at several levels. It will help you understand the basics of long-term care giving, and will also help you assess whether you have the heart and temperament for care giving.
Written in non-technical terms, the book is easy to understand even if you have no experience in care giving. In the text I’ve combined my personal experiences with the realities of care giving, and even a bit of humor, while covering standard procedures in the long-term care setting.
At its heart this book focuses on the basics of personal, hands-on care for those who need it most. The book was written in the spirit of love, respect, humility, and compassion. For that is where it all began, with the mother of nursing, Florence Nightingale, who demonstrated care giving from the heart.
Kenneth Mbaabu Mwirichia was born July 22, 1962, in the Meru district of eastern Kenya by the slopes of Mt. Kenya.
Kenneth was educated in local schools in Kenya; Menwe primary and Ndagene high school. Later he received a diploma from the London School of Marketing. He worked in sales for AGRO Chemical Companies then started his own AGRO chemical business. He was executive chairman of the business for more than 10 years.
After moving to the United States and settling in Iowa, Kenneth became a Certified Nursing Assistant and a Certified Medical Assistant. He has cared for residents in long-term care for about five years.
Kenneth was inspired to write this book out of his passion for serving others and his heart for giving care to those who cannot care for themselves. Kenneth continues to serve at the same care facility, which was voted best in the state for its care. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa, and is currently pursuing further studies in long-term care.
Chapter 1
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
A certain woman who knew me and was familiar with my work experience expressed reservations when I told her I was applying for a Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA, position in the facility where she was working. She was so concerned, in fact, that she let me know very clearly and honestly what kind of job I was applying for and what the work would truly entail.
She sat me down and boldly asked, “Do you understand that this work involves taking care of elderly people?” She went on to explain that care giving meant total care of the person: washing, cleaning, changing briefs and diapers, dealing with bowel movements, cleaning up urine emesis and other body excretions, brushing the resident’s teeth, general grooming, feeding, pushing the person’s wheelchair, and so forth. The job would also require cleaning up residents upon death. “Can you handle that?” she asked me. I looked at her and replied, “Well, I think I can try and see how it goes.”
The woman’s honesty and boldness in telling me what a caregiver’s work involves helped me prepare psychologically for the job I was about to begin. I was fortunate that someone had the fortitude to tell me openly what it takes to be a caregiver. Many people who take a position in care giving but are unaware of what the job will truly require take off faster than they came in.
Of course the work was difficult for me the first few days. I was not sure this was what I wanted to do. My encouragement came from having a good attitude toward work and generally toward everything I do. Whatever the task, I always give it my best.
I started by getting to know the residents and being friendly with them. I became compassionate and soon began enjoying my work. The environment soon became friendly and before I had stopped to consider the changes, I knew by name 99 percent of the residents in my care. The more I got to know the residents, the more I felt like being with them. By then I had “turned the corner.” I wanted to know, understand, and take care of them.
As a Christian, I gained satisfaction from knowing I was helping people who needed my help the most. My attitude toward residents changed. I felt like I was serving the needy. My focus was no longer on monetary gain, but rather serving people who truly needed my care.
As time went on, I learned not only to care for the residents’ daily needs, but also how to calm them down, to reassure them that all is well even when they feel otherwise. I learned how to encourage them, to get them involved in some form of activity and interaction with others. I learned how to help them deal with fear and appreciate life.
Of all the things I learned during my early months as a CNA, the most challenging of my experiences was dealing with residents who had died. Nothing I had studied or been taught prepared me to approach a deceased resident.
I remember one time when a resident died and the nurse asked me to assist in washing and grooming the body before the funeral director arrived to take the body. A co-worker and I were reluctant even to enter the room of the deceased resident let alone take care of the body. But I summoned the courage to do what was necessary. I thought my co-worker was familiar with the procedure. But I learned that like me, she was unfamiliar with caring for a deceased resident and was highly intimidated by the prospect. So I asked her to wait for me in the room while I went to get some towels. To my surprise, by the time I was leaving the resident’s room, she was right behind me. Finally we gained the courage and did a commendable job. This was the first time I had come close to a dead body, and since then I have had no fear caring for the deceased.
Before I started working as a caregiver, I knew little about elderly people. I had not seen so many elderly people in one place. I can now say it has been a good experience. Working with the elderly completely changed my outlook regarding our external appearance. The beauty of a person, I discovered, goes far deeper than looks alone.
I have been privileged to see residents as they once were, as people who were truly beautiful or handsome. As I look at photographs taken when a resident was much younger and compare this to the person’s current situation, it can be difficult to comprehend what I am seeing. I look at such photographs and imagine how the person might have enjoyed swinging on a swing set as a child, or how the person might have dated and enjoyed romantic times. I compare such images to the reality of how these same people, the residents I am caring for, are living now, and I find myself wishing people would never grow old.
