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As a young girl, Sheri remembers running down the halls of the old Woodingford Lodge building to see her aunty and drink juice from the fridge. She loved visiting her aunt at the long-term care home in Woodstock, often expressing a desire to work there someday.
 

“I would always say to myself, when I grow up I am going to work there. Never did I realize that one day I would actually end up doing that.”
 

This July, Sheri will celebrate 29 years working as a registered nurse at Woodingford Lodge. 

She started on the floor, working the night shift and caring for dozens of patients at the 160-bed home. Sheri now works as a supervisor of resident care, overseeing two of the six units at the home.

The staff and management are also very supportive at Woodingford, says Sheri, adding they are always willing to help you advance your career, whether it’s taking courses in palliative care or to become a supervisor.
 

“I won’t lie, I did go other places when I first started here, but I quickly realized the grass is not greener on the other side. I chose to stay here and I have enjoyed my time here and it’s been a great job.”
 

Sheri says working in a long-term care facility is different than other nursing jobs because of the intimate nature of the work and their ability to build close relationships with their patients.

She has experienced many special moments with her patients, some of whom she developed long-term relationships with after caring for them for more than a decade. She remembers one woman who spent 10 years on her floor and another fellow who has been there for 16 years. Sheri adds that the strong bonds she develops with her patients and their families help her provide the best care to the residents, and in some cases still understand them when they can no longer communicate.
 

 “There’s ups and downs, and not every day is sunshine and roses, but it has been a very rewarding job over the years. There is always something that brightens your day; a resident who says something to you or another staff member.”
 

There have also been a lot of changes over the years, most recently the introduction of digital charting. Now, charts are completed on the computer and automatically go into the system unlike the old way of writing on a physical chart and trying to have decent penmanship when you are in a hurry, says Sheri.

There is no typical day in long-term care, adds Sheri, but that is what keeps the job interesting.
 

“There’s always something new and you are always learning.”

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