Bronwyn O’Hearn is a 16-year-old whose profitable smile and optimistic angle helps to brighten the lives of seniors at Saint Vincent’s Nursing House in Halifax.
In return, she’s gained a way of independence and a newfound gratitude for all of the issues she has in her life.
O’Hearn works half time within the kitchen of the Windsor Avenue facility and has been there via many of the pandemic.
“I serve meals, I discuss to residents, you recognize, I arrange their plates. I actually like my job right here,” she stated. “It is very relaxed. However, you recognize, I additionally get to have some enjoyable with the residents.”
She’s the second youngest workers member at Saint Vincent’s and one in every of 4 youngsters on workers.
O’Hearn’s mother and father had been involved for her well being when the pandemic began, in order that they saved her away from her new job for a month. However she quickly realized the power was “the most secure place to be” and returned to work.
Being again on the job supplied O’Hearn with the social interplay she craved.
“I positively discovered it very good to be out of isolation for everyone as a result of I positively thrive off of being round individuals,” she stated.
O’Hearn stated persevering with to work at Saint Vincent’s has been rewarding, however the pandemic means she’s needed to make sacrifices for the security of the residents she serves.
When her pals had been having time hanging out throughout the hotter months, she did not be a part of them for concern of placing the lives of the residents in jeopardy ought to she be uncovered to COVID-19.
She stated the power is a “weak place” and it could have been egocentric of her to take the danger.
A circumspect O’Hearn stated the expertise helped her work out who her actual pals are.
“It gave me a way of who am I actually going to be pals with via all of this,” she stated.
O’Hearn stated she additionally opted to stroll to work half-hour one-way, quite than danger being uncovered to COVID-19 on public transit.
However in having to isolate from a few of her pals, the Grade 10 scholar stated she has additionally developed friendships with 80-year-olds at Saint Vincent’s — which she admits was “not frequent” for a teen.
She stated the job has additionally given her a function and a routine, noting that when faculties had been closed throughout the pandemic and plenty of of her schoolmates had been up till 3 a.m., she was going to mattress at 10 p.m. so she may go to work the subsequent day.
“It gave me a way of satisfaction, you recognize, exhibiting up in scrubs and strolling to work and, you recognize, being one of many front-line well being staff at 15. I actually beloved that,” stated O’Hearn, who celebrated her sixteenth birthday a few months in the past.
This additionally implies that she is among the youngest individuals within the province to get each vaccine photographs.
O’Hearn stated she’s not afraid of the vaccine and is not frightened about conspiracy theories round it — however she is afraid of needles. Not sufficient to cease her from getting the photographs, although.
“I am taking the proper precautions to maintain myself and others secure, which working in such a weak place, I believe it is egocentric to not.”
O’Hearn stated she feels fortunate working at Saint Vincent’s and stated her expertise there has made her notice that she desires to work in a area serving to individuals.
“I do not actually know what distinction I am making, but when I can put a smile on their face, it could actually imply so much to me.”
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