Roxanne Hocog, med tech / caregiver for Senior Lifestyle – Orchard Pointe, has been named a 2022 Frontline Honors honoree by Senior Housing News.
To become a Frontline Honoree, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and outcomes; a passionate worker who knows how to put their vision into action for the good of seniors and aging industry professionals; and an advocate for seniors, their industry, and their peers.
Senior Housing News caught up with Hocog to discuss their time in the senior housing industry.
SHN: What drew you to the Senior Housing industry?
Hocog: I have always wanted to help people. I loved the challenge because not everyday was the same and you just never knew what to expect from day to day. I tried working in other settings and decided to make the move back to where my heart was and have been working in memory care ever since.
What’s your biggest lesson learned since starting to work in the industry?
The biggest lesson that I learned was you can never get too complacent. Every day is different from the last. In this setting, you must be able to multi-task and change your focus to whatever your residents need at that time.
What’s your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part about my job is that some of these residents do not have families that can visit on a regular basis, and we get the honor of becoming an extension of their family. I am afforded the ability to make a difference in their lives by taking the time to do activities with them like spa days where I wash and dry their hair and cut it or curl it however they like to make them feel and look their best.
What do you want society (or the general public) to know about your job?
I want society to know that this job is very rewarding, but it is also a lot of hard work. The job we do as caregivers can be both physically and mentally draining when the day is very busy or one of your residents is ill. I truly feel all caregivers deserve extra recognition as we do one of the most difficult jobs in the healthcare industry. This doesn’t have to be an entry level position similar to working in fast food, this job takes a special caring heart and can become the best career choice you ever made with room for growth and professional development.
What may be one thing leaders don’t know, that you wish they universally knew, about your job?
I would like the leaders in this industry to know that we as caregivers do hard work and truly appreciate it when they go out of their way to make us feel involved and like our input matters.
To view the Frontline Honors Class of 2022, visit frontlinehonors.agingmedia.com