NIDA GERADA
Owner, Gerada Home Care, Inc.
I’ve had done here in 1989, we get married 1988-’89. After like six months, I moved in to
the United States of America. We settled down here already. You know, it’s really hard
to start with you know, but so far, so good. I’ve been here for 25 years now.
My first job is a personal care. They called it like a personal assistant so I worked in
assistive living for like a year. After that, I’m going back in school for another… to be like
a certified nursing assistant. That’s what I am right now – certified nursing assistant then
back to school for license vocational nursing. And then after that, you know, it’s just like
hindi ko natapos ‘yun eh. I did not finish the school and then later on, it’s like been
working in the nursing home hospital, home-to-home and then medyo napagod na. I
have to do something different so I say, I have to go to administrator class. So, I went to
administrator class that’s why now, I built up my own business right now. That’s where I
start with.
So, I start my first home that’s where you know, I started my business. We call it Gerada
Home Care. Licensed for six-bed capacity – they call it residential care for the elderly.
Taking care elderly people in the United States of America. So, that’s like 2000 I started
my business then after that, I think the business is doing good. Napamahal sa akin so,
after like one-two years, we have to move to that home and we have to have another
home for my family. After that, well I think I need to expand. This home, we call it Seven
Sisters. This is my second home care. So, habang I think nagugustuhan naman nila ang
aking serbisyo so, I think I have to decide another one and that time I am the one
running for the business. I’m working by myself with the help of the caregiver and with
the help of my husband. But my husband that time usually is working with the Coca
Cola company for 18 years and when we decided to have another home, this is my third
home now, and I really need help. I told my husband, come and help me with the
business. And also, it’s really hard for him to get out from work ‘cause all the benefits
from Coca Cola is like he has good benefits but we managed it and I told my husband,
come and help me.
So far, so good. He’s out of the company and he come working with me. So, until now,
we’ve been working together as partnership and facility. So, just like many years now,
it’s been like 16 years now, we’re 16 year in business and our number four home. I think
we need more home for the elderly because people are encouraging, we need more
homes kasi they still need it. So, until I have this another home, it’s been four years
now. So far, so good. Ok naman ang business and I think I have the right caregivers,
right help because I if you don’t have the right help, I don’t think you could do this kind
of work. You need a lot of help to do this business.
In this business, you need to hire caregivers. They need to fingerprint, you have to
fingerprint them. Make it sure they are healthy, make it sure they don’t have a criminal
record and you have to screen them. You have to train the caregivers.
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Sometimes, mostly, it’s Filipino workers. Actually, this is a family business so mostly, it’s
all my relatives who works with me.
Actually sa atin, natapos ko yung education doon so, actually, before when I was in the
Philippines, this is not my line really. Before I went to school for education. My parents
telling me, why don’t you go for nursing? You have the privilege to go to the US. Since
then, I moved here, parang the desert is more kind of nursing ang trabaho dito so, all
friend dun na ako na ano sa field, mostly nursing.
No matter what they saying, you have to swallow your pride basta malinis so I have to
go for nursing. Parang napamahal na rin sa akin itong trabaho na ito. If I don’t go visit
them everyday, just like I feel guilty saka talagang sinusubaybayan ko ‘yung pasyente
ko. Like for example, they go to the hospital, every single day, I have to be with them
because the families far away from them. It’s just like I’m the one who’s in charge for
everyone. This is life that you need to be taking care of.
Just be honest to who you are. Be yourself. Do your job. I think the compassion, to be
compassionate especially when you’re taking care elderly people here. You know, you
have to treat them and give them dignity kasi ‘yung mga pasyente dito, it’s like totally
different. They are hungry with loving caring ‘cause it’s an American way. Hindi kagaya
sa atin na we are really taking care of our family, our parents, our grandpa but in here,
you can see it like if you bring it to your facility, then that’s it. As an owner the family is
like trusted you to, ‘here’s my mom, here’s my dad, here’s my grandma.’ Just like me, I
got that kind of job. I think I have to show it, I have to take care of whatever comes to
my home. I have to take care of that. And that’s the way I’m doing right now. If you do
that, I think you feel that it’s right here inside, its not only here in your hand, it’s in your
heart. Because I think, if you’re not doing it in your heart, I don’t think you’re in the right
business. I think that’s the way I feel it. When you receive a lot of compliments from the
family, from anybody even though this kind of job is very very hard, it’s really hard to
deal with clients, the residence, family and everything. But once you know the whole
day you did your job, your best, then, you receive compliments then my heart is ‘move
on, go ahead continue what you are doing.’
Congratulations to the President Benigno Aquino III. Alam ko na aalis na siya sa
puwesto but for his stay as a President, marami akong nakita na pagbabago especially
ngayon na umuwi ako for many years. It has been like 10 years, malinis, hindi naman
‘yung perfect, we’re not looking for a perfect. But the way how it looks especially sa
airport, ‘yung matahimik, hindi ‘yung dati. At saka ‘yung mga nangyayari noon na
corruptions, I think doon ko nakita na he’s the one who opened this corruption sa
Pilipinas. Parang siya ang nagbago ngayon. He’s like the open eyes. It’s from him.
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