Once you're in, you won't want to leave.
Ms. Ngo Thi Hong Tu (79 years old, residing in Hai Duong province) has been at Dien Hong Nursing Home, Branch 2 (Thanh Ha Cienco5 Urban Area, Cu Khe, Thanh Oai, Hanoi) for over a year. Prior to this, her husband passed away after a serious illness, leaving Ms. Tu to live alone in the house filled with memories of the elderly couple.
Nurse Vóc is approachable and cares for the elderly as if they were her own family.
After losing her spouse, Mrs. Tư's health deteriorated noticeably. Her son wanted to bring her to Hanoi to live with him, but she didn't want to bother her children and grandchildren. After discussing it, her children found a nursing home for Mrs. Tư to try living in.
At first, Mrs. Tu couldn't adapt and almost didn't want to talk to anyone. After a week, with the care of the nurses and the company of others, she gradually settled into her new life. Every week, her children and grandchildren regularly visited her and took her home on weekends. However, each time she returned, she longed to come back quickly because she didn't like the food at home and didn't feel as comfortable as she did at the nursing home.
Next to Mrs. Tu's room, Mr. Nguyen Van Nam (70 years old, from Nam Dinh province) was admitted to the nursing home by his family six months ago. Prior to that, he showed signs of depression and was taken by his children for examination and treatment at Bach Mai Psychiatric Hospital. After his condition stabilized, his family decided to bring him here so he could receive care.
Previously, his children worked all day, leaving him alone at home, which led to him developing mental health problems. Since being admitted to the hospital, he has had friends to confide in and received care, which has lifted his spirits and improved his health.
Dien Hong Nursing Home, Branch 2, currently houses 120 residents, with an average age of 70-90, and the oldest being 105 years old. Of these, 100% have underlying health conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, and 60% suffer from dementia. Nurses are on duty 24/7 to care for them in terms of eating, sleeping, and other daily activities.
The job requires perseverance and patience.
To date, Ms. Pham Thi Voc (37 years old, residing in Ha Dong, Hanoi) has been working at Dien Hong Nursing Home, Branch 2, for two years. Every morning, after her shift ends, she goes to each room to check the health of the elderly residents, so that she can promptly address any issues.
Currently, Ms. Voc and another colleague are in charge of caring for 32 elderly people, aged 70-90. Most of them are still healthy and able to walk on their own. Ms. Voc's main duties include assisting with feeding, bathing, and massaging the elderly.
After personal hygiene and health checks, Ms. Voc invited the elderly to have breakfast. Each meal was carefully calculated in terms of nutritional content, and for those who couldn't eat on their own, she would spoon-feed them.
Looking at the way this woman smiles and diligently cares for the elderly, few would know that when she first started working at the hospital, she just wanted to quit. She used to be a nurse at a hospital in Hanoi. Four years ago, she gave birth, and when she returned to work, the workplace was far away, and her young child was often sick, so she looked for a job closer to home for convenience.
Through a friend's recommendation, she applied to work at a nursing home. Initially, she was confident in her patient care skills, but when she started working, things were far different from what she had imagined. The residents were all elderly, forgetful, and had many underlying health conditions; some were unable to walk or use their personal hygiene. Often, the elderly refused to eat or bathe, and no amount of persuasion worked, leaving her feeling helpless.
"Once, I carried an elderly woman to the bath, but she didn't like it. She scratched and clawed at me with both hands, even spitting. Or there was an elderly woman who sat for almost an hour without finishing a bowl of rice, constantly spitting it out after I fed her. I felt both sad and discouraged, but I couldn't raise my voice because they were all old, frail, and couldn't control their own behavior. When I got home that night, I just cried to my husband, wanting to quit my job. Then, gradually, I observed and noticed each person's habits and personality, and before I knew it, we had become close," Ms. Voc said.
Ms. Vóc confided that this job requires perseverance and patience because although the elderly are old, their hearts are no different from children's, always wanting to be pampered. It can take months to build a relationship with one elderly person. Recounting her most memorable experience, she said with emotion: "That time, I had just finished feeding one elderly man, then went to feed another, and when I checked on him, he had passed away. At that moment, all I could do was cry because I felt so sorry for him."
When asked about her income, Ms. Voc declined to give specifics, only saying that it was "a little better than my old job, but much harder."
Treat the elderly as if they were your own parents.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Dinh Nhu (28 years old, from Phu Tho) has been caring for the elderly here for nearly 5 years. He is assigned to take care of those who are seriously ill, frail, or have suffered strokes.
Caring for the elderly requires perseverance and patience because, despite their age, they have the hearts of children and always want to be pampered.
Every day, he helps the elderly with bathing, eating, health check-ups, physical therapy, and massages.
He recounted that in the beginning, he felt a little bewildered, even embarrassed, about being assigned to care for elderly women. However, seeing them, who were the age of his grandparents, frail, unsteady on their feet, and unable to care for themselves, he threw himself into the work without hesitation.
"In nursing homes, each resident has their own personality; some are cheerful, while others are difficult and hard to please. Being scolded or hit by the elderly is common, but I also have elderly parents, so I understand. I only feel sorry for them, not resentful," the male nurse shared. For him, as well as other nurses, the health and well-being of the elderly are their greatest joys.
Mr. Dao Quang Duc, Director of Dien Hong Nursing Home, Branch 2, said that the facility currently has 54 staff members, divided into several departments, caring for 120 elderly residents. All staff members are nursing graduates with basic medical and healthcare skills, capable of recognizing vital signs, measuring pulse, and blood pressure.
"Every day, nurses are on duty 24/7 to care for the elderly residents' eating, sleeping, and other needs. Each resident has unique health conditions, personality traits, and needs. However, through closeness and understanding, staff regularly chat with and encourage them to find suitable care solutions, making them feel comfortable, optimistic, and forget about their illnesses and worries," Mr. Duc shared.
Reportedly, the cost at the facility is 8 million VND/month for elderly people who do not need assistance, 11 million VND/month for those requiring rehabilitation, and 14 million VND/month for those who need a private room.
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