When our September Aide of the Month, Liu-Yen Olugbile, takes care of her clients, it’s with the same heartfelt compassion she would give to her own family. “For me, I really like working with senior people. The way I work, the clients are like my family. They are part of my life.”
Liu-Yen has been working in home care for ten years. She was previously working as a nanny when, at a friend’s urging, she began a career in home care. She started with Blossom (then CCOR) three years ago and says this is the best company she has ever worked for.
The reason Liu-Yen’s family remains her inspiration is because she has been unable to take care of them herself. Liu-Yen is from Taiwan. In 1997, when she was visiting a friend in Rochester, she met her future husband. They married in Taiwan and moved to the United States. Caring for her clients the way she does is her way of honoring the mother and grandmother she hasn’t been able to care for herself.
This past June, her beloved mother became severely ill from heart complications. Liu-Yen flew to Taiwan, praying fervently that her mother would live long enough for her to see her. After arriving, however, Liu-Yen had to quarantine for an agonizing two weeks. Mercifully, she was able to see her mother, who passed away only two days after Liu-Yen’s quarantine came to an end.
Liu-Yen treats her clients like family by learning from them, caring for them, and listening to them. “I Iove my job because I am helping people, and that makes me happy. For me, I love to talk with the senior people. They are like a book. They share with me the stories of their life.” Over the years, she has found that most of her clients remain in her care for long periods of time, at least two years. “The more days I work with them,” she explains, “the more they are like friends, like family.” The one drawback to becoming so close is the inevitable pain when they pass away. Last year, when a client died, Liu-Yen felt deep grief for several weeks.
When she’s not working, Liu-Yen enjoys creating art. She is also immensely proud of her two children, Eunice, 22, and Michael, 21, who both graduated from college this year.
Liu-Yen’s career has taken her into the hearts and homes of many people, each of whom has a place in her own heart. At Blossom, our hearts are filled with gratitude for such a valued member of our Blossom family.
Liu-Yen Olugbile, Artist:
Quiet Afternoon
Oil paint
The Miracle of Five Loaves and Two Fish
Rayon thread
