Sidney healthcare provider wins top provincial healthcare award – Victoria News

A healthcare worker from Sidney won a top individual award for her work.

Lisa MacKenzie, Health Care Assistant (HCA) at the Sidney All Care Residence, won the 2020 British Columbia Caregiver of the Year Award in the Long Term Care category from the BC Care Providers Association representing non-governmental health care providers in British Columbia.

“It is a real honor to receive the award for what this award represents, and I know there are so many people who deserve this award,” said MacKenzie, who has been in the field for 17 years, including five at Sidney All. Care residence. “So I was really honored and I really appreciate being chosen. I feel like it’s a privilege to support seniors. Not only is it a job for me, but it is an honor and a passion for me.

It is a passion with a distinct personal history. “I have always been very close to my grandparents and my great-grandmother,” she said. While still in high school, she volunteered at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital to work with the elderly, paint nails, do hand massages and visit them.

“I just felt it was a really good fit for me. I love to be with the elderly.

MacKenzie received the award on October 20 in a virtual ceremony held at SafeCare BC’s Hearts and Hands online conference for healthcare assistants.

One of MacKenzie’s strengths is his ability to connect with patients, while working in his role as a bath helper. “I like to make it a spa experience, but it’s so much more than that for me,” she said. “It’s connecting with the person. It’s about the person I take care of, getting to know her, connecting with her at any stage of her life.

This process may involve learning something about patients through family members or connecting through a work of art in their place of residence.

“You get closer to each resident as you get to know them over time,” she said. “It’s a really special experience to be able to be there for them,” she said.

MacKenzie said this process depends on the patients’ respective cognitive abilities, which could mean that the only connection is through a touch or a smile.

COVID-19 has of course made this more difficult. This not only led to improved screening before work began and cleaning procedures on the job, but also forced MacKenzie to wear a mask. Although necessary, he changed the interactions.

“I like to smile and they (the patients) can’t see my smile,” she said. “But it’s amazing. Even though I smile under the mask, I often see them smiling back at me because maybe they can see it in my eyes.

This level of commitment and unspoken caring from MacKenzie is also reflected in the comments of Sheila Minten, Vice President of Sidney All Care Residence.

“There aren’t enough wonderful words in our language to accurately describe a person like Lisa,” Minten said. “She is the true definition of a caring person. Not only does she go above and beyond whenever she’s at work to make our residents feel safe, loved and cared for, but she also extends that caring nature to her teammates.

Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.

follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

wolfgang.depner@peninsulanewsreview.com

Sidney