Team member finds joy in serving seniors and hearing their life stories.
Eneida Jaimes, a dining room server turned medication aide, views the 45 seniors that she serves medicine to daily at Mangrove Bay in Jupiter, Florida as more than residents. She views them as extended family.
“I want them to feel comfortable and loved. They’re not just residents to me. They‘re kind of like my grandma and grandpa,” Jaimes said.
The highlight of her day is spending time with the residents and learning more about them as they share unique and inspirational stories.
“They like sharing their lives with us. They don’t want to sit in their rooms all quiet. They want to talk,” she said. “For residents, we’re the closest they have to family. We’re the ones who talk to them, making them feel like they’re home and welcome.”
And if the community needs Jaimes to work an extra shift or temporarily work in a different department to help meet the needs of residents, she steps up to the plate without hesitation, noted Craig Reinmuth, executive director of Mangrove Bay. “She often says, ‘I’m not here for the hours, I’m here for the residents.’”
Senior Lifestyle recognizes Jaimes as someone who represents the HEART of Senior Lifestyle. HEART stands for Hospitality/healthcare, Excellence, Appreciation, Respect and Teamwork.
“Eneida sees each resident as someone who deserves quality care, safety, and someone who deserves a daily celebration of life, “Reinmuth said. “Her outgoing personality and true love for her fellow humans make her a favorite among residents and staff.”
Reinmuth has observed Jaimes’ compassion for seniors ever since she began working for the community in 2018 as a dining room server and throughout the various roles she has been promoted.
“She never gets flustered or exasperated,” Reinmuth said. “She talks residents through their needs and tries to help them however she can, whether by passing them their meds or helping them get out of a chair.”
As a medication aide, Jaimes is responsible for giving residents the right medicine and dosage at the right time of day. Her career journey was influenced by her manager Evelyn Barbosa, who encouraged her to pursue training as a certified nursing assistant. Jaimes earned her CNA license in 2020 and was promoted to resident care assistant. But she didn’t stop there with her education. “My manager told me, ‘I see more potential in you. If you push yourself, you can do more than CNA,’” she said.
Jaimes earned another license as a medication technician and was then promoted to the medication aide position in 2021. Although Jaimes is grateful for her promotions, she said she is not motivated by job titles. “I just love caring for people. I don’t care what my job title is.”
Jaimes also enjoys learning the life stories of the seniors that she serves. One of her fondest experiences was learning over time that the paintings of beach life in the apartment of a former memory care resident were painted by the resident herself.
“Hey Doris, that’s your name!” Jaimes recalled proclaiming excitedly to the resident when she noticed her autograph on her paintings one day. “I couldn’t believe it! So much detail from this little lady. That definitely told a part of her story when she was younger,” she said.
“Spending time talking to the seniors helps you realize that you’re not the only one in this world. Seniors have led fascinating lives, and their stories are priceless.”
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