Born and raised Merrittonian Debbie Mckinney has always had a passion for helping people, and knew if she was given an opportunity to care for others she could excel. Her generous heart steered her towards a career in healthcare fifteen years ago, when she planned to pursue her education in Kamloops and become a care aide alongside several of her friends. 

However, Mckinney had a toddler and a newborn at home at that time, and wasn’t able to make the commitment to commuting and taking up a full time post-secondary education. Instead, as her children grew, Mckinney worked at Walmart, and then spent nine years at HUB Insurance until, as she puts it, “the care aide program kind of fell in my lap, which is what I always wanted to do, but I couldn’t do it until my kids were old enough.” 

Mckinney wasn’t about to let the chance slip away a second time, so she enrolled in the eight month Care Aide program at NVIT and hasn’t looked back since. 

“NVIT is an awesome school, you’re not just a number and they take their personal experiences and help you learn to become a care aide,” said Mckinney of the Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) that taught the course. 

“I was scared because I’m going to be 49, and going to school at that age is scary, because it’s been so long since I’ve been in school,” said Mckinney. 

“So, I was pretty scared at the beginning of September thinking, am I going to be able to get to this part? But it doesn’t matter what age you are, you have to go after your dreams and take that extra step, and I got through it and now I’m where I want to be.” 

For Mckinney, where she wanted to be was anywhere that she could work with seniors and brighten their days. 

“I love caring for people, and I find that sometimes seniors get pushed aside,” said Mckinney. 

“I have a 97-year-old grandmother who still lives on her own, and I see where she struggles. And I was really intrigued by dementia, I wanted to work with dementia patients because I find that they get lost in the world. I want to be in the facility so that I can, how I would put it, love them. I love them all to bits. Sometimes they need that extra hug or whatever, I just love caring for the elderly,” Mckinney continued. 

“I want to be someone in their lives when they don’t have anybody else, because a lot of seniors don’t have anybody else. So, I want to be the reason why a senior smiles throughout the day.” 

Mckinney has witnessed firsthand the strain that COVID restrictions have put on seniors in care, who, for many months, were unable to see any of their loved ones, and then were limited to the number of visitors they were permitted. Now, with travel restrictions, many seniors are still unable to visit with their family as they may live in a different health region. 

“Because I’m allowed into the facility, I like to interact with them because if they don’t see their family, at least I can be there for them that day and make a difference,” said Mckinney. 

In addition to the time she spends interacting with the seniors and fulfilling their social and emotional needs, Mckinney tends to a multitude of other care aide duties such as ensuring residents are eating and drinking enough, assisting them with getting up and out of bed in the morning, dressing themselves, and helping them with their personal care routines. Mckinney admits that it’s easy to get carried away with helping, because she has such an affection for the residents, “You want to keep them as independent as you possibly can.”

Part of her role is helping the seniors to maintain their skills, motor function, and, most importantly, their dignity. 

Mckinney feels that she has finally achieved her dreams, and reached a place where she is serving a purpose. Rather than be disappointed to put an end to her weekend, she is excited to go to work and engage with her patients. 

“This is something that is meant to be for me; just sitting there and talking with them, or checking in on them is one of my favourite things to do… and I make sure to say goodbye to most of the residents that I’m working with that day before I leave, to let them feel like they’re individually loved,” said Mckinney, who draws inspiration from her own grandmother. 

“My grandma is the role model for the person I became, I just love her to bits.”