Inside Athena: “I Treat Them the Way I Wanted My Dad to be Treated,” Countryside C.N.A. Shares
BRISTOL, C.T. — “I treat them the way I wanted my dad to be treated” is how Countryside Manor of Bristol C.N.A. Ed Maestre approaches the job he does.
He saw his father’s experience in a Bridgeport nursing home and knew he wanted to make a difference. There was a low standard of care that ultimately led to his father’s passing, so, Maestre decided to be the change and became a C.N.A. himself.
“Instead of me criticizing the nursing home, why don’t I become an aide to take care of people,” he thought during that time. “I don’t want nobody else to suffer like my dad.”
He has been at Countryside for three years and has been a licensed C.N.A. since 2010. He starts his shift by making his “hello” rounds to residents. It offers a sense of enjoyment for Maestre when he knows residents are both happy and comfortable at the center.
“[I] try to be their friend because sometimes they don’t have anyone to talk to,” he said.
Maestre feels as if he can relate to the residents as he suffered a stroke three years ago and understands he may need skilled nursing care one day if it happens again. More recently, he suffered a severe injury. No matter what Maestre encounters in life, he isn’t letting it stop him. In fact, after his recent injury, he returned after a few weeks because he didn’t want to leave the residents or his fellow colleagues for that long.
“They’re a part of my family,” he said.
Countryside Manor of Bristol has an environment where Maestre feels welcomed and feels a part of a team. He said the staff do the best they can to make residents feel comfortable, whether they have lived there for a while or just moved in. He said that’s not a feeling he’s experienced at other centers.
“We all care. We work very hard to make the residents feel comfortable,” he said.
He thinks that quality care shows when families express their appreciation to him.