Q: Who are you/what do you do?
A: My name is Cindy Parent and I am the manager of the assisted living facility Carefree Manor here in 100 Mile House. I have worked at Carefree Manor for 14 years, 10 years as a care aide and now four years as a manager.
Q: Why did you decide to work in health care?
A: I chose healthcare at a time when my children were about to enter school and I wanted to find a career for myself.
Q: What’s your favourite part of the job?
A: I enjoy interacting with the residents on a daily basis. Learning the history of many of the residents is quite intriguing. The residents have lived through such different times than what we are accustomed to. So many different personalities is also a wonderful part of the job.
Q: Is there a particular moment or memory that stands out for you?
A: One event that I won’t soon forget is the 2017 forest fires. Myself and three other staff members evacuated from Carefree Manor to Kelowna with 21 residents. For three weeks I stayed with the residents in Kelowna. The first week was at the Ramada Hotel and then two weeks at an assisted living facility in Kelowna. It was an event I had never imagined.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share?
A: This current situation regarding COVID-19 is also nothing we have ever imagined going through. It has been challenging to say the least for both staff and residents. But we are trying to make the best of this situation.
newsroom@100milefreepress.net
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