Zola Benjamin finds healing at old age home

Ms Zola Benjamin of Standerton found a niche for herself after the death in 2018 of her son, Caden.

Caden suffered from Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a genetic disorder caused by a loss of function of specific genes on chromosome 15.

His symptoms included weak muscles and slow development.

Those affected become constantly hungry, which often leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

This single mother used to be unemployed while caring for Caden for eight years.

“After I lost my son, I had no direction in life,” Zola said.

Caden passed away at the age of 11.

A meeting with Past Ernest Potgieter of the AGS Kerk was a turning point.

She participated in a learnership programme for a year, concentrating on skills such as first-aid and firefighting and finally getting introduced to the staff and residents of the Kosmos Retirement Village.

“I had to be placed in a working environment as part of my practical training,” she added.

She is a receptionist and helps with the financial side of the facility’s administration.

Zola believes her colleagues have wonderful qualities such as the leadership skills of Dr Mollie Lyons and Ms Sanpat Coetzee, Mr Gert Mocke’s mentoring abilities, Matron Annatjie Steyn’s strength of character and Ms Joey Swart’s HR grasp.

This job kept her going and it near impossible now to visualise a life without the elderly.

“I can’t be without them and they can’t be without me,” was her summary.

She did however, acknowledged that she gets emotionally attached to the residents.

A weekly visit to the frail-care is not to be missed.

“You need to have patience and understanding when dealing with the elderly at the old age home,” she also said.

Zola’s parents both passed away and she now cares for her two children, Kayleigh and Caleb, as well as a cousin’s two children, Ethan and Lee.

“The work here is part of a healing process,” Zola concluded.