Russell Sangster: switching the Stetson for a set of scrubs
The COVID-19 pandemic changed lives all over the world, but particularly so for seniors in longterm care facilities in Quebec. After a call for help by Quebec Prime Minister François Legault, many stepped up to the plate to provide a helping hand to seniors across the province. Grace Village benefited from the help of one such individual, Russell Sangster, who became a caregiver to support residents during these difficult times.
Sangster was already accustomed to the Grace Village community, having visited and volunteered at the residence as a RCMP officer in previous years, even standing in as Santa Claus at one of the residence’s Christmas parties. “I’ve worked in the area for 18 years as a RCMP officer and retired in 2015,” says Sangster, “but I came out of retirement to assist local detachments with resource issues as a border officer in Stanstead.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit last March, the need for reservists at the border decreased, and Sangster turned to the caregiver course offered by the Quebec government in response to the pandemic.
“When I heard that the government was looking for 10,000 caregivers in the province, I was definitely intrigued,” he explains. “I did not know much about caregiving, but it was something I wanted to explore further, so I applied.” Sangster was selected and began the caregiver training in June at the Lennoxville Vocational Training Centre. Sangster began his work placement at an institution in Sherbrooke but wanted to work in an establishment that would allow him to practice the compassionate care he was hoping to provide, which is when he was referred to Grace Village.
Sangster started at Grace Village in August 2020 and worked full time for six months. “The RCMP asked me recently if I would return to the border as a reservist, but I wanted to keep a few shifts on a part-time basis at Grace Village,” he says. In many ways, Sangster believes that his work as a peace officer played into his experience as a caregiver at Grace Village. “My work was strongly focused on client service, and I was used to working in small town communities,” he mentions. In fact, Sangster accumulated over 27 years of experience in small communities from British Columbia to the Eastern Townships.
“I felt that one of my biggest
strengths was dealing with people, talking with them and listening to their issues and trying to find solutions,” he adds. “After my training at the LVTC, I believed that this would be an asset in developing relationships with the people I would be serving. Although my experience was as a peace officer serving the community, I could relate this to my role as a caregiver in a longterm care facility. These are different groups of people, but the same type of understanding and compassion is needed.”
While providing care to the seniors at Grace Village, Sangster was also able to connect with many residents. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with people in this context. It’s nice to see them whenever I go back, and we can remember conversations we had together and we can get back in where we left off,” he explains. “There is no doubt that this type of job is incredibly difficult and physically and mentally
demanding. However, it is rewarding to assist someone in the way that we do. I love joking with the residents and with my colleagues. It is a team-focused setting, and the residents see and appreciate that too. There is a strong family feel,” Sangster mentions.
Sangster’s main takeaway from this experience is how big the need for essential workers has become. “I’m at the point in my life where I’m getting much older than I was when I first retired from the RCMP. I doubt that the government will be able to retain the 10,000 caregivers they aimed to find last spring, but it would be nice to see younger people looking into doing this kind of work,” he explains. “It is necessary to have more caregivers to offer this assistance to seniors. Had I gone into this profession at a much younger age, I believe I could have done this long term. I have really enjoyed the job and the people at Grace Village. It’s been a great experience.”