New staffing law, old struggles bedevil California nursing homes
LOS ANGELES - The 93-year-old dementia patient was getting anxious in her wheelchair.
The woman, a resident of the Californian-Pasadena nursing home, wanted to see her husband but had forgotten he was at a nearby hospital.
Holding the chair steady was a composed Gabby Carrillo, a certified nursing assistant who had witnessed this behavior before.
"We try to see things in their shoes," said Carrillo, a CNA for more than three years. "Doing this job can be exhausting, not just physically but mentally too. Over time, you learn to cope with it."
Despite the challenges, the 27-year-old professes a love for her job, which involves bathing, feeding and attending to other daily needs of patients. But the stressful work - coupled with low wages and a booming economy - has made it more difficult than ever for nursing homes to fill the position.
