LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Melissa Hardisty-Beaverho loves her job.

Hardisty-Beaverho is one of seven personal support workers - formally known as home support workers - with Dehcho Health and Social Services. June 30 was Home Support Worker day in the NWT.

Melissa Hardisty-Beaverho, a personal support worker with Dehcho Health and Social Services, gets ready to visit a client in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

As a personal support worker Hardisty-Beaverho helps her clients maintain activities necessary for daily living so they can stay in their homes. Approximately 90 per cent of her clients are elders.

"I love seeing their smiling faces when we enter the door," she said.

Working with elders is one of the highlights of the job for Hardisty-Beaverho, who lives in Fort Simpson. Personal support workers provide a variety of services.

During her visits Hardisty-Beaverho checks her clients' vitals.

The elders like to know how their heart rate and blood pressure are doing. If they are in the right range it improves their day, she said.

Personal support workers can also assist with doctors' appointments, both as an interpreter and as someone who is familiar with the elder's health.

"It's nice to be a front line worker because then we get to report to the nurses," said Hardisty-Beaverho.

In her job Hardisty-Beaverho also makes a lot of social visits.

"They like to know what's happening outside because they don't get out often," she said.

Her clients enjoy hearing about the local going-ons as well as how Hardisty-Beaverho and her family are doing.

The exchange of information goes both ways.

Although she learned Slavey while being raised by her grandparents, Hardisty-Beaverho admits she needs more practice speaking the language.

"We get a lot of help from our elders," she said, especially with pronunciation.

Personal support workers are a key part in the Deh Cho's health care team, said Tracy Humphrey, the manager of continuing care for Dehcho Health and Social Services.

"They're a very important part in making sure the person is completely taken care of," Humphrey said.

They help elders and those with mental and physical challenges remain in their homes and studies have shown people do better in their home environments, said Humphrey.

"I think they're under recognized," she said.

While the general public easily recognizes nurses and social workers the valuable role personal support workers play isn't always seen, she said.

Hardisty-Beaverho said she's just grateful for the opportunity to work with her elders. Her job has encouraged her to pursue her goal of becoming a registered nurse.

Hardisty-Beaverho will be starting the nursing access program at Aurora College in Yellowknife in September. Although the five-year program will take her away from Fort Simpson Hardisty-Beaverho's clients will never be far from her thoughts.

"My dream is to come here and work with my people and help them," she said.