A mother and her two daughters continue to make a difference in the lives of others through their role in health care.
For more than 40 years, Lucille Husluk has been working as a health-care aide — and her passion for her profession inspired her daughters to follow in her footsteps.
Like her mom, Angela Deloughery decided to become a health-care aide and has been working in the role for about 16 years. Her sister, Sarah, has also served as a health-care aide for more than a decade.
Health-care aides are important members of the overall health-care team who help take care of clients’ personal needs under the direction of a nurse. Certification as a health-care aide is available from various education institutions.
Currently, Husluk is involved in home care throughout the Gimli area, although she has also worked stints in other communities including Teulon, Arborg and Riverton over the years.
“I’ve worked all around the Interlake area,” said Husluk, a Matlock resident. “I don’t just like my job, I love it.”
She enjoys gleaning knowledge from her older clients, who are happy to share wisdom they’ve gained over their lifetime.
“I learn so much from them. They’re always so willing to help you with things, like recipes,” she said. “I like taking care of them. To me, it’s very personal and I always want to give 150 per cent to them because that’s what they deserve.”
For those who like to help others, Husluk suggests they might want to consider working as a health-care aide.
“It’s rewarding to know that you’ve helped somebody. It’s all about giving them dignity and compassion. They appreciate every little thing and you feel loved. You become bonded and feel like family,” she said.
“It’s a great job. I think people don’t realize how good you feel. I go home and feel like I’ve done something for someone.”
In fact, Husluk enjoys her work so much that she has even postponed retirement.
“You do your best to make people feel good. We’re there to assist them,” she said. “I brag to everybody — I love my job.”
This enthusiasm encouraged her daughter Angela Deloughery to consider the same professional path.
“My mom is so good at her job,” said Deloughery, who discovered her own affinity for helping others while caring for her ailing grandma.
“My mom would always come home happy. I thought it seemed like it would be a good job for myself too.”
Now Deloughery also works in home care based out of the Gimli area, and she sometimes travels to other communities such as Arnes and Winnipeg Beach.
“It’s a very rewarding job. I’ve been with it for 16 years and I’m definitely loving it, for sure,” she said. “It’s meaningful to help keep people in their own homes. I would definitely recommend it for others to try.”
Three classes have completed Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority’s uncertified health-care aide micro-credential training course since July, and a course is currently underway in Lake Manitoba First Nation. More sessions are planned for 2024. Participants are paid to attend the free three-week training program.
Once they’ve graduated from the micro-credential training course and have worked at least 300 hours, they’re eligible for part-time study to expand their skills and become a certified health-care aide.
For more information, contact Ian Magnan, recruitment and community engagement officer, at 204-340-5596 or imagnan@ierha.ca.
