"Being a care aide is physically and mentally demanding. We help people do things they can’t... You spend so much time with them you feel like family.”
“I was born in Guatemala and immigrated to Los Angeles at age five: my dad wanted us to have a better life. After school I worked in the clothing industry in retail, wholesale and manufacturing, and I met my wife, a Canadian.
We moved to Texas and I trained as a care aide since there was no textile industry. In 2013, we settled in Hope and I was hired at Fraser Hope Lodge. Being a care aide is physically and mentally demanding. We help people do things they can’t: get ready in the morning, prepare for bed, help them eat, keep them company. Residents with dementia want to be comforted. You spend so much time with them you feel like family.
I have aging parents: My dad passed away two years ago. It gives me empathy. Eventually, I’m going to end up here too – you get back what you give. The reward is knowing you’re actually helping people. It’s a small community: my son’s teacher is related to one of my residents.
On weekends, it’s so beautiful here, we go to the park with our two boys. I’m a horror movie fanatic and I cook Guatemalan dishes like jocon and cocido. People say I have a good voice: once I sang a Spanish ballad to a resident; her family thought it was the radio!”
-- Pablo Hidalgo, Care Aide, Fraser Hope Lodge
Read more Humans of Fraser Health stories.