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April 21, 2006
Willing to go the extra mile
Eileen Cohen and other staff keep a watchful eye on their charges.
EVA COHEN
One of the reasons that the Louis Brier Home and Hospital is so
successful is the enthusiasm of its staff.
Eileen Cohen is a registered nurse and team leader at the Louis
Brier – and she's an example of why the home has been such
a success for the past 60 years.
"I love what I do here – it's very rewarding," said
Cohen.
She's been working at the Louis Brier for 13 years and said that
what she does isn't just her job – the residents and her co-workers
are like family.
When residents have any difficulties, they come to see Cohen. She
is a mechanic and a social worker; she provides nursing care and
administers medication.
"I do everything," she joked.
Cohen works from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. and said the highlight of her
day is when she arrives at the beginning of her shift and goes around
to each resident to wish them a good morning.
"I give them a hug and kiss and ask them how their night went,"
said Cohen. "I treat them as though they're my own mom or dad.
They can call on me anytime for help or if they just want to talk.
My door is always open."
There are two other care aides who cover Cohen's position when she
finishes her daily shift. They undertake basic care for residents
and consult with Cohen on a regular basis.
Cohen moved to Vancouver in 1976. She has been a registered nurse
for 32 years and last year became a gerontology specialist.
"This was an important addition to my qualifications because
a lot of the residents who come here are very frail," said
Cohen. "I have to know all of the ways to treat people."
The Cohen family is very involved with the Vancouver Jewish community.
Eileen's husband is a computer and physical education teacher at
Vancouver Talmud Torah school and helps fund-raise for the Louis
Brier Jewish Aged Foundation. The family is also affiliated with
Schara Tzedeck Synagogue.
At the Louis Brier, Cohen sees the workplace as its own community.
She said she likes how the home is open to new ideas and is always
educating the staff on new care concepts.
"Everyone here is very friendly," she said. "It's
a wonderful place to work and to come to every day."
Cohen said that there isn't anything that she doesn't like about
working at the Louis Brier – "besides weekends,"
she said, laughing. She added that she likes the way the home allows
nurses to be independent and work comfortably.
"We all try to help each other out if there is a problem,"
she said.
Cohen said she thinks the home is a source of pride for the entire
Jewish community.
"It's really nice here with the synagogue and holidays,"
she observed. "The staff are all given Jewish education classes
to accommodate residents on special [Jewish] days."
The Louis Brier requires a lot of staff to keep things operating
smoothly. CEO Peter Kafka said he is very happy to have individuals
like Cohen on his staff.
"Eileen is an excellent example of how are staff are willing
to go the extra mile," he said.
Cohen said she looks forward to the anniversary and everything else
to come at the Louis Brier.
"Every job as a registered nurse is rewarding," she said.
"But this is where I have chosen to have this rewarding experience.
I hope to retire here."
Eva Cohen is a freelance writer living in Ottawa.
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