It’s no secret that Canada’s population is getting older. In fact, according to 2016 census data, there are now more seniors in Canada than kids—a first for our country. As our senior population continues to increase, so too does the demand for skilled professionals to provide them with quality care.
Whether working in hospitals, long-term care facilities, or providing much-appreciated at-home care, the support offered by PSWs makes a world of difference to their clients. For many clients, a visit from their PSW can be the highlight of their day. However, clients aren’t the only ones that benefit from these interactions. In fact, there are many benefits that PSWs themselves experience from connecting with the seniors in their care.
Here are some of the reasons why working with seniors can be a truly enriching experience.
PSWs Experience a Truly Unique Sense of Fulfillment
As we all grow and age, we bit by bit confront the reality of becoming senior citizens ourselves. This is an inevitability that we cannot control, but what we do have the power to affect is the care and treatment that older individuals in our society receive. We all want a future in which we can remain engaged, alert, and socially active well into the later years of our lives.
After personal support worker training, you will have the ability to make this possible for the seniors that you work and engage with. Every interaction that you carry out can be of the calibre that you would hope to receive in your later years. This can bring a unique professional pride to the role. For many personal support workers, the knowledge that they are helping valued members of the community live with dignity and happiness makes each day a truly rewarding experience.
Working With Seniors Is Proven to Offer Important Psychological Benefits
Recent studies have shown that providing much-needed support can have substantial benefits on a professional’s mental health too. In fact, a 2016 study highlighted the benefits that those providing social support can experience.
The study discovered that those who provide care experience a decrease in stress-related activity in several parts of the brain. Interestingly, this reduction was even sharper than among the individuals who received support. As such, the maxim that “it is better to give than receive” seems to actually be the reality awaiting graduates of PSW college.
Graduating from PSW College Means Meeting Wonderful Individuals
As part of your PSW career, you will work alongside many different individuals. This includes those who have been drawn to this career path through their own experiences and desire to help seniors, and seniors themselves who carry a huge amount of life experience and wisdom.
If you enjoy hearing stories and insights from others, your experiences working as a PSW will be incredibly fulfilling. The personal connections you build could even last throughout your career, as you meet truly wonderful seniors with incredible stories to tell.
Do you want to build a career providing quality care for senior citizens?
Contact us at Medix College to learn how you can begin your healthcare courses in Ontario.