Teens Are Unsung Heroes at Local Assisted Living Facility

After reading Dick Baynton’s recent article, “Threshold to the Future,” I felt the need to add one more set of young unsung heroes to the list.

I spent several years working at The Oaks at Richfield, an Assisted Living facility. During that time most of the applicants that came through our doors were high school students. We hired a large amount of the teens and for most this was their first job.

The love and compassion these workers showed to our residents would bring tears to your eyes. They worked hard to accommodate the many different needs of their “customers.” They took care to make sure even the most demanding and  inconsiderate (and yes, sometimes even hateful) resident received what they needed with grace and respect.

The teens understood that they and the residents were a lot alike, they couldn’t drive wherever and whenever they wanted. Some didn’t even have a license. In addition, someone was always telling them what to do, they couldn’t go out at night alone and they had no privacy. Knowing this, they seemed to understand some of the feelings of the residents and helped them feel loved and understood.

This set of teens showed me that this world is going to be okay. They’ve got our backs!

– Linda Marshall, Roanoke

Latest Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest Articles

- Advertisement -

Related Articles