In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “caregiver” is defined as: A person who provides direct care to someone in need. At Willow Creek Senior and Assisted Living in Henning, it means so much more!
Carrie Bushman is our employee spotlight this week. Her role as a caregiver is one of the most important positions in the Henning facility. It involves giving residents the support and care they need to live comfortable, happy lives. And Carrie is very good at what she does!
Carrie Bushman prepares for her day as a caregiver at Willow Creek.
What does an Assisted Living Caregiver Do?
Her day starts early at the computer, where she helps prepare the morning medication pass for the residents. Along with passing out medications, Carrie does skin and wound care, blood pressure checks, and blood sugar monitoring. She changes bedding and clothing and will often do small chores for residents around their apartments, such as watering plants, or putting items away that are hard to reach.
When the residents head off to breakfast, she begins making beds and cleaning. This often includes housekeeping and laundry. For those who wish to eat breakfast in their rooms, she brings up their tray and gets them settled in for their meal. When breakfast is over, she cleans trays and takes out garbage.
Carrie runs errands around town for residents with mobility issues. She helps in the kitchen if necessary and does housekeeping in the main building as well as patient rooms. The residents have scheduled wash days where caregivers help them bathe, shave, and wash their hair. She also checks on residents daily to make sure daily personal care is not neglected.
But Carrie’s most important job is the socialization she provides. She can often be found laughing and visiting with residents and their guests, lending an ear whenever they need one.
How Carrie Became a Caregiver
Originally from Parkers Prairie, Carrie has lived in Henning for many years and knows many of the residents and their families. This is part of the reason she loves working at Willow Creek. As she puts it, “The staff is great and the residents are the best in the world!”
Carrie discusses the day’s schedule with Tim Kelly, Administrator of SWLC.
Before working at Willow Creek, Carrie was a kitchen manager and waitress at the Underwood Cafe, giving her plenty of experience working with people. She also worked in a pharmacy for 20 years, so she is well-versed in the medical field.
Activities are an important part of life at Willow Creek. Game nights, live music, and afternoon coffee hours run much smoother with experienced caregivers like Carrie helping out.
In her spare time, she enjoys lots of lake time in this beautiful area of Central Minnesota. She loves spending time with her pets and her family, including babysitting her nine grandbabies!
Interested to Learn More About Willow Creek?
Visit our website and contact Donna Bartels, our executive director for more information on what Willow Creek offers. Let us know if you are interested in working as a caregiver! Donna can give you all the details and the training can be done with the amazing staff of Willow Creek. Give us a call today at 218548-6683!