The delicate work of Hicham | The Press

Suffering from Alzheimer’s, Sonia Khandjian hardly speaks, no longer walks and no longer knows who her husband is. But the latter insists that she stays at home until her last days. This is why M.^me Khandjian receives regular visits from Hicham El-Asri, a social worker in home care. The Press followed the shadow worker for a day.

Hicham El-Asri arrived in Quebec in 2010. After earning a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Montreal, the Moroccan-born started working at the CLSC de Bordeaux-Cartierville, in Montreal, in 2014.

Hicham evolves within a team of 165 employees specialized in home care, made up of doctors, nutritionists, occupational therapists, social workers and other nurses. These professionals combine their efforts to offer free services, mainly to seniors.

In this way, they allow them to stay at home as long as possible. In Quebec, the proportion of seniors (65 years and over) will reach 25% in 2031, whereas it was 18% in 2016, according to projections by the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

Last Tuesday, we joined Hicham at the CLSC at 8 am.

Federica*

10 a.m. Hicham, very calm, arrives at the home of Tarek* and Federica*, a couple who have been married for 55 years. Aged 77, Federica has not been out of her adapted bed for two weeks. Suffering from aphasia and other cognitive impairments, she has not been able to speak or walk since February. Tarek, his caregiver, also in his seventies, is visibly happy to receive a visit from Hicham, who has been helping the couple for four years, in his non-air-conditioned apartment in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville district. Fifteen bottles of tablets lie on the living room table.

Hicham follows up on Federica’s state of health, discharged from the hospital two weeks earlier. She was there to treat a nasty urinary tract infection, which deteriorated her condition.

“She is recovering, but at the speed of a small turtle,” says her husband. Tarek informs us that she now only eats soft and liquid: yogurt, juice, protein shakes and mashed potatoes.

“I’m going to refer her to a nutritionist,” replies Hicham. The goal: to lighten the load on Tarek, who has to take care of Federica 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The social worker then enters Federica’s room. She smiles at him. Next to the bed, we notice a hoist. But it remains unused: Federica hates being moved.

“She is very comfortable in her bed,” says her husband. She feels at peace. »

“It is my joy, it is my joy. My heart, my body and my soul, ”he continues, in a loving impulse.

“You are so devoted to your wife that you forget yourself,” comments Hicham delicately.

“Don’t worry,” the man replies. It’s okay, seriously. »

The 45-minute encounter benefits Tarek more than Federica. ” He just needs a little listening, explains Hicham. Sometimes listening to them does them more good than the service itself. When you take 10 minutes to talk with them, it makes all the difference in their lives. It does not have a price. »

Sonia

The social worker continues with a second meeting, at 11 a.m., with an elderly couple of Armenian origin. The CLSC de Bordeaux-Cartierville offers him 23 remote care services per week. This time, it is Hicham who reassesses the state of health of Sonia Khandjian, 94 years old.

The lady can no longer walk. She barely speaks anymore. It is therefore with her husband, Varoujan Tachdjian, that Hicham discusses. Mr. Tachdjian has been taking care of his wife for several years, almost without respite, since the couple’s two children live abroad.

A few minutes after Hicham’s arrival, the conversation turns into a slight spat about the difficulties of access to a doctor.

“I can’t take her to the doctor alone, she doesn’t walk anymore!” launches Mr. Tachdjian. If I want to contact the CLSC doctor, who should I contact? »

“Me”, replies Hicham, who can forward the request to a doctor. “But she may not be available.” She already has patients scheduled… She can’t cancel them to come see you. »

Jimmy, the couple’s dog, attends the exchange.

“Imagine a person close to you, in your life. For several months, several years, it has been deteriorating. You want to call a doctor, you can’t. Do you think it’s easy? You become ill yourself, ”retorts Mr. Tachdjian.

“I know this isn’t ideal for you. I know it doesn’t suit you, ”continues Hicham, understanding.

Then the evaluation resumes. Mr. Tachdjian says his wife has forgotten about him because of Alzheimer’s. “For her, I am the gardener,” he told Hicham, before asking Sonia her name, in Armenian.

“I don’t know,” she replies in the same language, visibly lost.

The match ends after 90 minutes. ” At the next chicane ! », Says Mr. Tachdjian to Hicham, laughing.

Services like this are not exceptional. A few times a week, Hicham must manage, in addition to care, the exasperation of individuals. In these cases, he becomes the mediator between the caregivers and the health system.

Sona*

Around 1:30 p.m., Hicham goes to Sona for his third and last visit of the day. The lady, in loss of autonomy, lives alone. She struggles to get up and walk. ” What can I do ? That’s life, ”she resigns herself.

Hicham offers her services offered by the CLSC, in particular activities offered in the establishment, in addition to helping her with her paperwork. The meeting is short. After about twenty minutes, the social worker returns to the office, where he ends his shift by performing administrative tasks.

In Quebec, more than 20,000 people are on the waiting list to receive primary care at home. “It is sure that we feel it”, indicates Hicham.

In the meantime, Hicham continues his mission. The job places him in difficult and stressful situations. He is faced with suicide, abuse, loss of autonomy and degenerative diseases. But the positive overshadows the negative. Because for the moment, Hicham manages to detach himself from his job when he returns home. “I have a family, they expect quality time when I’m at home, so I have to pick up,” he says simply.

* Fictitious first name, to protect his anonymity