For Malachi Jones, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) at St. John’s Home, working in skilled care came to him “very naturally.” “I grew up helping my grandparents long before I did this type of work,” says Malachi. ‘That was one of the reasons I jumped into the field and I do it with a smile.”
Malachi’s entrance into the health care sector was as a home health aide outside of St. John’s, where he would help provide assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for people living in the community. According to Malachi, because of the similarities between this former job and what he now does at St. John’s, “the CNA work was very familiar to me and a very comfortable environment.”
Joining St. John’s just about four years ago now, Malachi notes he came “in the thick of the pandemic.” However, this did not scare him away and in fact, Malachi quickly grew in his career during this time. Over a short period, Malachi rose from dining assistance to TNA (CNA in training) to being fully certified as a CNA after completing the necessary coursework. “I love the path I took,” says Malachi.
Though for Malachi, the work he does here goes beyond just being a job–it’s personal. “When I take care of people, I feel a sense of a family. I take care of you as if you were my own,” says Malachi. “It brings a better connection and it makes you more familiar with people.”
When asked if he has a set way that he helps people feel at ease when providing care, Malachi chuckled and with a smile shared, “I have a little model. I like to come in with ‘positivity.’ It opens them (the residents) up like a butterfly.”
“A few kind words shed goes a long way,” says Malachi. “They love it.”
Part of Malachi’s “model” is the simple (yet not always practiced) act of being a good listener. For Malachi, having the opportunity to hear the stories about the people who live at St. John’s is what ranks among the top experiences that would not have been possible had he not taken the job at St. John’s.
Malachi also has stories of his own to share as collected over his very meaningful years at St. John’s. He shared one such story, which was like an “‘Undercover Boss’ moment,” in his own words. During the Christmas holidays about two years ago when he was a dining assistant, Malachi had the opportunity to serve a holiday meal alongside St. John’s President and CEO Charlie Runyon. Malachi described the very natural conversation they had as happening on one of his best days at St. John’s. “It was a beautiful experience. I have never met anyone more down to earth,” says Malachi. “You cannot say anything bad about him. He is just a wonderful person.”
And, there are many other memories that Malachi has of people who have touched him deeply (and no doubt he has impacted them as well). “I have met so many people from incredible walks of life,” says Malachi. “Getting to know a person and the shoes they have walked in is genuinely heartfelt.”
Paying the service forward of those that helped him learn and grow, Malachi also enjoys mentoring and training new colleagues that join St. John’s. “I love helping people,” says Malachi. He remembers his first days on the job as being among the hardest and how important seasoned staff members (like Muhammed Shaw, who Malachi mentions as being significant) were to his “learning the ropes.”
Whether fellow colleagues or the residents for whom he cares, Malachi works diligently to carry out his personal mission: “I love seeing people happy.”