My Job Is Helping Kūpuna Spend Their Golden Years at Home
Caregiver Joeziah Routt-Rivera helps aging clients with chores, errands, meals, medications and personal care.
Name: Joeziah Routt-Rivera
Job: In-Home Caregiver
Company: Vivia Cares by Ho’okele Home Care
HIS WORK: Joeziah Routt-Rivera visits clients’ homes to ensure their well-being. Some of his responsibilities include bathing clients, monitoring their nutrition and ensuring they take their medicines, and general housekeeping. Routt-Rivera does other nurse-related tasks as well, such as checking vital signs.
“Typically, our assistance is focused on indoor tasks, such as household chores, meal preparation, medication reminders and personal care. However, we also provide transport services for medical appointments and errands,” he says.
“We don’t engage in yard work and outdoor tasks, but we do offer companionship services, which may include sitting in the yard or on a porch with the client and providing company and support in outdoor areas, if that is their preference.”
He says spending meaningful time with his clients is an essential part of the job. That might include accompanying them on their daily activities, listening to their life stories and reading the newspaper to them.
The company he works for, Vivia Cares, says it prioritizes quality time and care with patients and that assistants such as Rivera work to achieve their clients’ goals, regardless of the time it takes.
EXTENSION OF HIS CHILDHOOD: Rivera attributes his caring spirit to his upbringing. As a child growing up in Wai‘anae, he was taught to always give back, even when he wasn’t expected to.
“My childhood is what led me down this path. Growing up, I was raised by my family to always help others and to always give back. Even if it’s in the slightest way, at least you’re giving and doing something.”
Being a caregiver is an extension of that childhood, he says. “I enjoy helping others and that’s why I love this job, and why I enjoy being in this part of the medical field.”
GROWING FIELD: As Baby Boomers continue to age, the demand for senior care – at home and in nursing homes – will likely grow, as will the need for caregivers like Rivera.
Rivera encourages others to find fulfillment in caregiving careers. “It makes me feel so good that I’m giving back and helping them because they’re not able to. I know a lot of people say the field isn’t meant for everyone, but as long as you really want to help, the clients sense that appreciation and passion you have for doing this type of job.”
When asked what it charges, Vivia says its “services are personalized to the needs of the senior and family. As such, they only pay for what they need and want based on their requested tasks. Each situation is unique and Vivia is responsive to the particular needs of each senior and the pricing is tailored to their specific budget.”
