Altida takes great pride in her job, carrying out her daily duties as a CNA

Altida Adency has one simple motto in life: to help those in need.

Altida moved to Florida from Haiti with her husband in 2002. A year later, she enrolled at the Naples Nursing Academy for a six months course and graduated as a CNA. Her first job was at a care center at Ft.Myers and in 2005, she joined Heritage Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Florida and has been there ever since.

For 11 years, Altida worked as a dedicated and professional CNA at Heritage Park. She takes great pride in her job, always punctual, respectful of her residents under her care, kind and thoughtful in carrying out her daily duties as a CNA. She has always shown a “lead by example” character and attitude that has become contagious among her co-workers. Dawn Stanfield, her Administrator, considers her a “true asset” to the community.

In fact, Altida moved to a desk job as a Central Supply and Staffing Coordinator. Here she oversees the daily supplies at the care center. “I love coming to work every day. I get to meet new people, have a chat with the residents and ask them how they are doing. We have lots of activities for our residents to keep them motivated and healthy in mind, soul, and spirit,” Altida adds.

Altida says all five of the Core Values are important but she regards Integrity and Compassion as essential to what makes a good person. To her, taking care of the elderly who can no longer care for themselves, we have to carry out these duties with passion and honesty. She has words of wisdom for other CNAs who intend to follow this honorable profession. “Treat the residents like one of your own family members, with kindness and joy in your heart and do your best all the time,” Altida adds.

With encouragement from her Administrator, Dawn, Altida listened, weighed her options, and within 18 months passed her LPN course at the International Academy Training Center in Miami. She has only one final test to be able to practice as an LPN, and hopes to complete it by end of this year. And where does she plan to work, at Heritage, of course!

As a devoted mother and wife, she spends time with her husband and her three children, two boys, aged 16 and 9, and her 13-year-old daughter. They relax by the beach with friends, enjoys the occasional BBQ and cooking her favorite Haitian dishes.