IGLULIK - Anyone who goes to the health centre in Iglulik will recognize the smiling face and kind manner of Lizzie Makkik.

Lizzie Makkik has been working as the home and community care representative at the Iglulik health centre for the last seven years. When not at work, she said she enjoys spending time out on the land. - photo courtesy of Lizzie Makkik

The 38-year-old, who was born in Iqaluit but has called the hamlet home for most of her life, works as the home and community care representative.

"I'm basically like the facilitator for the home care workers and home care supervisor in our community," she said.

When someone needs care from a specialist she arranges they are booked in with one. The specialists who visit the community could be home care nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapy or oncologists.

Meeting a variety of people on the job is one aspect of her position, Makkik said she enjoys.

She said one of the great parts of her job is seeing a patient being released once they feel better.

"For me to be there upon the admission and most of the time on the discharges when the person has gotten better and are out of the home care program is great."

Makkik said she remembers one elderly unilingual man who she got to know quite well while he took part in the home care program.

As a child, Makkik said she only knew him as a member of the community but now she knows him on a whole different level.

When she is not organizing the schedules for patients and staff or seeing who needs help occasionally, she will get time to sit in her office and do paperwork. This is on top of overseeing the work of seven staff. If the interpreter/translator is not available, Makkik will step in and fill those shoes too.

"I'm very busy but I am very lucky to be here."

Makkik said she landed the position after taking the social work program and earning her diploma from Nunavut Arctic College's community learning centre in Iglulik.

That was 10 years ago. She has been in her current job for the last seven years.

Every day, new patients come to the health centre and Makkik is always there smiling and ready to help them.

"I love my job," she said.

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