Goodwin College Human Services student Heather Postemski is no stranger to caregiving. After serving as her grandmother’s caregiver during her five-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, she went on to care for her mother who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis.
“I was initially interested in Nursing because I wanted to try and cure my mom’s disease. When I realized I couldn’t fix her, I became determined to help her live her best life,” Postemski says.
After switching from the Nursing program to Human Services, Postemski quickly discovered that was where her true passion lies.
“If you’ve ever taken care of a loved one, Human Services is the field for you,” she states. “At its core, Human Services is being a friend — making a change in the lives of others and advocating for their wellbeing.”
Through her coursework at Goodwin and internship experience, Postemski gained the confidence to empower her clients and bring new meaning to their lives.
“All of the classes I took at Goodwin were like pieces of a puzzle,” she shares. “Understanding how to make things understandable on my client’s level and learning how to speak up for them without compromising legal parameters are two skills I acquired that help me do my job today.”
In addition to taking classes to complete her bachelor’s degree in Human Services (she will walk in the June 2018 Commencement ceremony), Postemski works as a program coordinator and nurse aide at Active Day/Senior Care of East Hartford.
In her work, she oversees 63 clients with varying degrees of dementia — planning daily activities, facilitating regular outings, and providing routine caregiving.
“In Human Services, the work you do is all about the clients — fostering relationships with them and improving their quality of life,” Postemski concludes. “When family members come up to me and thank me for the work I do, I know I’ve done my job.”
Click here to learn more about Goodwin’s Human Services Degree Programs.
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.