Caregiver Spotlights
James Okafor: the quiet hours
A CNA who works overnight home shifts on what the night asks of you, why he keeps a notebook, and the moment he knew this was the work he wanted.
James Okafor works the shifts most people don't want — overnight, in clients' homes, through the long quiet hours when a house feels different.
Why nights
"Nights are when people are most alone with it," he says. "The fear comes at 3am. Being there for that — that's the whole job, really."
The notebook
James keeps a small notebook for every client. "Not just meds and vitals. What calmed her down. What show he likes. The night nurse who comes after me reads it. We're a relay team, even if we never meet."
The moment he knew
Early on, a client woke disoriented and frightened. "I didn't fix anything. I just sat, and stayed, and talked low until it passed. In the morning she said, 'You stayed.' I've never forgotten that this is a job where staying is the skill."
Sources
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