18/06/2025
We close this CNA Week with a chat with one of our champions, Aniya Smith, who has been with us for about 1.5 years.
She says she was naturally drawn to healthcare and was certified as a nurse aide in high school.
“My mom did it, and my grandmother had breast cancer and I helped with taking care of her,” Aniya said.
She was a travel CNA and then did home care. Aniya said “stability called” and working for a community like ours means not having to bounce around.
“I like helping the residents. We help them dress — sometimes special like when they participate in spirit weeks — and with whatever they need,” she said. “They look at us like family. Our residents with dementia, especially, love us so much.”
CNAs are the eyes and ears for the nursing staff. They are with the residents the most in helping them with all activities of daily life.
“We’re the underdogs, but we’re there first. There’s more of us, we’re around more. We kind of become their family and help them, cheering them on, especially through physical therapy,” Aniya said.
She bounces around the building — “I’m everywhere,” she said. “I really enjoy Memory Care. We go along with their reality.”
She also is working with the current apprenticeship class students, who will graduate to nurse aides on Friday.
“They’re really good to be starting out,” Aniya said. “Doing that is giving me the outlook of being a beginner. They’re doing a good job, questioning if they’re doing everything right.”
She may not have been at Lancashire long, but Aniya said it feels like she’s known everyone for years; it’s become a second home.
“She has excelled beyond expectations,” says Director of Nursing LaTasha Muse. “She picks up shifts without hesitation. She is kind to her residents and the family members love her. She is truly one of a kind.”
We appreciate all our CNAs do daily! They truly support individuals to live their best life and we couldn’t do this without them.
Want to join a team that values you? Visit vahs.com/careers and apply for our CNA opportunities. Or click on the Apprentice tab to learn more about our earn-as-you-learn program to get you started.
