Heather Nadon has seen a long of changes in health care since she started working at Carveth Care Centre almost 31 years ago.

Speaking from the popular long-term care home in late February 2023, a few days before her official retirement, she says people are arriving in long-term care with higher health-care needs, compared to when she started.

“It’s a harder job,” she admits about her job that started as an interest in housekeeping. “I didn’t come to Carveth Care Centre for this job,” she says with a smile. “Back in 1992, they hired people off the street. I came here for a job in housekeeping and was offered a job as a Nurse’s Aide which paid $8.60 an hour. It was a lot different back then, they trained us right here which helped me earn my Health Care Aide diploma. ”

Three decades later, Heather, reflects fondly on her career that consisted mainly of evening and night shifts.

“I loved it over the years,” admits the 64-year-old Lansdowne woman. “It’s harder now that I’m getting older, but I love it. I love my coworkers. We’ve had a lot of fun over the years, together, and with the residents. There is good teamwork here; I’m going to miss all that.”

As she prepares to leave her job, Heather is looking forward to enjoying more family time which was affected by her shiftwork. She is the proud mother of three and grandmother of five. She plans to spend her retirement watching her grandchildren’s hockey games, babysitting, and enjoying her family trailer on Simcoe Island.

“My husband says he is getting his wife back,” she says with a smile.