Aaron Freeman may be young, but he has more experience with health care than many of the residents he serves at The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens.
Born with the birth defect spina bifida, 19-year-old Freeman knew early on what it felt like to be in and out of hospitals and in constant need of care. But even as a child, he felt compelled to put the care of others before himself.
When he was eight, Freeman began volunteering alongside his mother, Carol Freeman, who has worked as a nurse at ABHOW’s Fresno, Calif., continuing care retirement community for the past 17 years.
“I had so much fun volunteering and being around residents and seeing what my mom did, I just knew I had to come back,” Freeman said.
The truth is, he never really left.
As a resident assistant, Freeman now divides his time between The Lodge and The Grove at The Terraces at San Joaquin Gardens. But whether he’s working with residents in assisted living or memory support, Freeman says what matters most is the one-on-one time he spends with seniors.
“I love being a creative caregiver and seeing the personalities of each of the residents,” he said. “I love playing bingo, going for walks and goofing around with them.”
Barbara and Parry Dodds, residents of the community for more than a decade, remember first meeting Freeman in the dining room.
“He’s very well mannered and really caring,” Barbara said. “Everyone talks about him. Everyone thinks he’s just the nicest young man and I certainly agree.”
Jessica Lopez, the community’s executive director, says Freeman does an excellent job with the residents.
“Residents light up when he is there to see them,” Lopez said. “He is filled up by what he does here. Because of that, he is so dedicated. He has innate compassion beyond his years.”
Freeman frequently helps Parry Dodds with showering and dressing.
“I was so impressed to find out that he’s a student and is trying to get into nursing school,” Parry said.
Freeman’s experiences have encouraged him to pursue a nursing career at Fresno City College, where he is a full-time student. He hopes to transfer to California State University to earn his master’s degree before returning to San Joaquin Gardens as a nurse.
