Behind the Scenes with a Personal Care Attendant: Hawi Jette
By: Sia Sharma
Personal care attendants, often referred to interchangeably as Personal Support Workers (PSWs), are the backbone of the home healthcare industry, providing essential care to those in need of assistance. Attendants are responsible for assisting clients with activities of daily living such as toileting, bathing, dressing, and meal preparation. They also provide companionship and emotional support, offering a sense of comfort and security to their clients.
Hawi Jette is a dedicated care provider who uses Whimble to offer services. I recently had the opportunity to discuss with her the challenges and rewards of her vital role.
Originally from Akwesasne, and living in Ottawa for the past 14 years, Hawi was working in administrative services. In search of a more satisfying career, Hawi chose to pursue a career as a PSW in hopes of helping others and making meaningful contributions to their lives. After graduating from Algonquin College in 2015, she worked in long-term care and transitioned to home-based services in 2019.
To excel in her role, Hawi highlights the importance of patience, empathy, compassion, time management, and strong problem-solving skills. She recalls a situation when her client’s wheelchair broke, and she had to find tools to repair the malfunctioning component before continuing care. Hawi shares that some days as an attendant are challenging, but assures that it’s all quite fulfilling at the end of the day. Moreover, when asked about her most rewarding moment as a PSW, she responded that it was the ability to help her clients when they were in a pickle and support them in resolving their problems - being able to become a superhero and saving the day.
There are key differences in the experiences of working in long-term care versus home health care, according to Hawi. Long-term care facilities are dynamic and fast-paced environments as the PSW staff provide care to a group of 10-12 residents at a time. The PSWs don’t get to spend much time with each resident. Hawi’s transition to home healthcare allows her more one-on-one time with her clients so she can offer more personalized care. She appreciates the opportunity to now provide companionship and build relationships with her clients.
Looking ahead, Hawi expresses optimism and excitement about her future as an attendant. She emphasizes her positive experiences with the Whimble staff as well as the overall success in the communication and support she received.
Join Hawi and become one of Whimble’s valued Attendants to make a meaningful difference in other’s lives by providing personalized care!
