She was a frail old lady at the age of 92 with long grey hair and a small frame body. Helen looked at me with despair as I calmly approached to meet her acquaintance. Her caseworker, Anna, sitting by her side, attempting to reassure her safety and provide comfort makes the introduction.

“This is Maria, you’re new caregiver, She will be staying with you tonight” she says to Helen as she writes it down on a pad of paper. “Oh Thank God, Oh Thank God” Helen responds. Helen relaxed her body with and sighed with relief.

Dawn the current caregiver; an average height, blond, blue eyed middle aged woman had an attitude about her. She appeared to be anxious, impatient, aggressive and fed up with Helen. Dawn has had no previous experience with care giving and had taken this position on to support her family at home. Spending all days and nights with Helen for the past three months seemed to be taking a toll on her mental and physical abilities.

Seeing that Helen was wrestles, afraid and paranoid, I reassured her safety. “No need to worry Helen, I will not leave your side”. I will make sure you are safe from now on and all your needs are met”. Helen looks back at me and smiles with a sense of comfort. “Thank you very much for bringing me an angel to look after me” she says to Anna. Reassures Helen that everything will be fine and leaves the apartment.

It is Friday late evening, and as I sit next to Helen holding her hand, Dawn continuously approaches to speak with me. In a loud angered voice and with animated hand gestures Dawn says, “She is a schizophrenic! She’s Crazy!”
I asked her politely to Leave the room and that I would speak with her at a later time. My intensions at this time are to calm everyone down and keep the peace amongst the two ladies.

Dawn could not leave because she had no means of transportation until the late morning. I realized I was unexpectedly placed in a challenging position. Later in the evening, Helen was tired and decided to lay down. I assisted her from her old antique soiled in urine armed chair she loves so much and watched her drag her feet against the carpet and push her walker as she took small steps. Helping her sit in bed and then backing up to stand at the doorway. Dawn being an instigator decided to cross in front of me and enter the room. “ Get out of here you crazy whore!” Helen yelled. “ You’re the whore, you old crazy woman!” Dawn screeched back and proceeded to come in physical contact with Helen giving her an unexpected slap to the left arm. Helen, seemed unsurprised by this and retaliated by hitting her back.

“Hey now, what do you think you are doing?” I raised my initially calm voice and put out my arm in the middle of the two ladies and directed Dawn out of the room, “Go inside and don’t approach the woman, you have no business in here now that I am here. You are staying the night but come tomorrow, you need to leave immediately.”

Dawn walked to the kitchen. I calmed Helen down and excused myself for the night as Helen situated herself in bed. It was a long night for me as I stayed up all night observing. At this point I wasn’t sure what to expect and why I was eagerly placed in Helens home immediately.

The sun finally came up and slowly the ladies awoke. Dawn gathered her belongings and finally went on her way. Helen waked over to her chair, sat and watched Dawn leave. I made breakfast for Helen, and noticed she was unable to sustain food in her stomach as she vomited. I then gave her some orange juice and again nothing. I wasn’t sure if it was stress, anxiety or if Helen was ill. By now it’s lunchtime and I made soup for her. Again nothing would stay down. Helen asked for some warm milk. I brought the milk to her and told her “If you are unable to sustain the milk I will call an ambulance to come and take you to the hospital.” She denied having an issue. She took one sip and it all cam back out.

I place the call to 911 and asked them to send the paramedics. When they arrived and entered the room Helen began to cry, “I’m fine, I’m fine, nothing is wrong with me!” The paramedics did not listen to her as they noticed the basin on the floor next to her chair full of emesis. They lifted her off her chair and strapped her on the gurney. They directed me to which hospital I would need to go to.

As I walked into the Emergency room, the paramedics and nurses approached me ask me what had happened with Dawn. “Did the other caregiver grab Helen by the hair throw her on the floor and beat her?” they asked. Surprised by that story I denied it being true. As I walked into Helen’s room, she was excited to see me and felt a sense of relief. Helen being distraught and confused did not understand what was happening. She thought Dawn called the Emergency Service Team to take her away. “Please, Please, Please, let me go! I’m ok, I’m fine! There is nothing wrong with me!” She proceeded to yell as she was in tears. “It’s ok Helen, I’m here, I won’t leave your side, no one is going to harm you.” After Eight long hours of waiting, Helen was admitted to the hospital. For the next five days she was treated for two different types of infections and Pneumonia. If I had not gone to Helen’s home that night, her chances of living were slim to none.