Photo Guy Ackermans Who: Sanne de Bruin
What: Home help for people who need it
Why: It’s a workout that is satisfying as well
Hourly wage: €12.50
You’ve got to make ends meet somehow. We can all borrow from Uncle Duo, but there are also students who earn money from unusual side jobs, like Sanne de Bruin (26), a Master’s student of Health and Society. Sanne works for T-zorg as a home help.
‘I go to people’s homes to help with the housework. We look at what people are able to do themselves, and how I can fill the gaps. Sometimes we do the cleaning together, which is sociable. The client might dust the easily accessible surfaces, which they don’t have to bend down for. Meanwhile, I clean the hard-to-reach areas. If clients are completely immobile, I tackle the most important things for keeping the house pleasant to live in. In this side job, I encounter important themes from my Health and Society studies, such as ageing and loneliness. And how market forces affect healthcare. For instance, I am not allowed to give clients their drugs – someone else does that. The care that people receive at home is fragmented: sometimes up to five care providers visit on a single day. One comes to help them shower and put on support stockings, another comes to set up a drip. I question whether market forces are really more effective. And there’s no one who has a helicopter view, an overview of the whole picture.
Fortunately, I do have time to talk to clients and make real contact with them. I pay attention to the people I work for, I see them and ask how they are doing. I can really make their day, and they so enjoy my visits! Sometimes they even put something tasty in my apron to take home. It’s a bit like visiting your grandmother. You really do this job with your head, heart and hands. The change from studying has helped me tremendously with finishing my internship reports: it’s nice and active, and really meaningful for others. I’m also learning something about how I would want to age: it’s extremely important to stay open to things, stay positive and to have a strong social network. And to have a sense of humour and be able to laugh at yourself.’
