Roxanne Hocog, Medical Technician/Caregiver for Senior Lifestyle – Orchard Pointe, has been named a 2022 Frontline Honoree by Senior Housing News.
To become a Frontline Tribute, a person is nominated by their peers. Candidate must be a dedicated, high-performing frontline worker who delivers exceptional experiences and results; a passionate worker who knows how to put his vision into action for the good of seniors and aging industry professionals; and an advocate for seniors, their industry, and their peers.
Senior Housing News caught up with Hocog to talk about his time in the senior housing industry.
SHN: What attracted you to the senior housing industry?
Hocog: I’ve always wanted to help people. I loved the challenge because not every day was the same and you never knew what to expect from one day to the next. I tried to work in other settings and decided to go back to where my heart was and have been working on memory care ever since.
What is your biggest lesson learned since you started working in the industry?
The biggest lesson I learned was that you can never get too complacent. Every day is different from the previous one. In this environment, you need to be able to multitask and shift your focus to what your residents need at the time.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is that some of these residents don’t have families who can visit them regularly, and we are honored to become an extension of their family. I have the ability to make a difference in their lives by taking the time to do activities with them like spa days where I wash and dry their hair and cut or curl it however they like so they feel and look their best. .
What do you want society (or the general public) to know about your work?
I want society to know that this work is very rewarding, but it is also very hard work. The work we do as caregivers can be physically and mentally taxing when the day is busy or one of your residents is sick. I truly feel that all caregivers deserve additional recognition as we do one of the toughest jobs in the healthcare industry. This does not have to be an entry level position similar to working in fast food, this job requires a special heart and can become the best career choice you have ever made with room for professional growth and development.
What can be something that leaders don’t know, that you wish everyone knew, about their work?
I would like the leaders of this industry to know that we as caregivers do hard work and really appreciate when they go out of their way to make us feel involved and that our opinion matters.
To view the Frontline Honors Class of 2022, visit frontlinehonors.agingmedia.com
