Natalie Grove
For two decades Renita Sanchez of Sweet Home has criss-crossed Linn County, serving patients and their families.
Sanchez, 54, has been named 2013 Dream Team Hospice Aide for her work at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice. The annual award, from the Oregon Hospice Association, honors team members demonstrating excellence within their hospice team.
Barb Hansen, Sanchez’s supervisor, nominated her with the support of Sanchez’s co-workers.
“When I found out Renita had won, I was so excited. I told them (her co-workers) all not to tell her. They all thought she deserved to win,” Hansen said. “She is a hard worker – a real role model. She always puts patients and their families first, accommodating their needs.”
Hansen and Sanchez’s husband Joe set things up to surprise Renita at the awards banquet on Oct. 1 when winners were announced. “Renita was the third name read, so I think by that time she had it figured out,” said Hansen.
This January, Sanchez will have worked 20 years for Samaritan Evergreen Hospice as a hospice aide. “It’s been a good job. I couldn’t want a better organization to work for – that’s why I’ve been there 20 years,” Sanchez said.
Raised in Sweet Home, Sanchez started work as a nurse in Klamath Falls when she was 18. Ever since, she has worked in the health industry.
“I quit working to raise my kids, but once they were independent I really wanted to get back to it,“ she said with a laugh. As a hospice aide she provides in-home care for patients who need some extra help.
“You get to work, not just with the patient, but with the family. We are able to offer added support for the family to get some respite. Caring for a family member full-time can become overwhelming,” she said.
She said she sees an average of five patients per day, caring for patients anywhere from a few days to a few years. Sanchez says in her 20 years she has seen thousands of patients. Covering an area from Harrisburg to Lacomb to Corvallis, she drives an average of 100 miles a day to visit her patients in their homes.
“I get to see their homes and all this beautiful countryside. I’m not stuck behind a desk.”
As the years have gone on, Sanchez has seen a demographic shift in her patients.
“People are living longer. I’m helping people in their 100’s, and 90’s aren’t uncommon. Their spouses are living longer too, but aren’t always able to provide the care needed. I get to give them an extra hand to get through another day.”
For anyone thinking of entering the hospice field, Sanchez suggests, “Just give it a try. At first I didn’t think I’d enjoy it, but I really do. It’s rewarding to get to help people. You really are making a tremendous difference in their quality of life.”
After 20 years, Sanchez still isn’t ready to quit.
“I haven’t wanted to do anything else. When you really love a job, you want to stick to it.”