At Arab American Family Services, we see clients with all types of personalities. Unfortunately, many clients who walk through our doors have exhausted every effort to get help. Whether it is a domestic violence situation, or a client for our elderly department, we do not always know what is going to come through our doors.
One of our elderly caseworkers has seen her fair share of clients over her 10 year career. Wafa Zegar has been working with seniors since she began with AAFS in 2005. Zegar says that often times she is sitting with a client who is so upset, so hurt and afraid of what the future may bring.
“Just listening to their story and what they have endured makes me understand their anger and frustration,” Zegar said. “They have gone through struggles in their lives that had brought them to us,” she said.
She says that many of her clients have told her that they visited different organizations seeking help and were faced with caseworkers who had rushed them out, making them feel as if they were second class citizens.
“I have learned to give my clients the time to tell their story and watch that curtain of anger fall off them slowly,” she said. “And through their talking to me a smile will appear on their face, followed by a tear,” Zegar added. “And with tears in my eyes, I begin to think to myself, wow, this can happen to anyone, even me,” she said.
At AAFS, we have a strong belief to treat everyone we meet as if they are our own families. Many of our elderly caseworkers are humbled because they often think of their own parents when they are working with clients.
“We should never judge anyone in life,” said Zegar. “Just listening to our clients and understanding what happened to them makes a difference in their demeanor and self-esteem,” she said.
Zegar says the greatest reward is when her clients thank her for her help and begin to see the benefits that they were awarded. Whether it is CEDA assistance, heating and cooling benefits or Medicare and Medicaid assistance, AAFS helps get them what they need.
“Sometimes, we have struggles come our way and that may change the way we behave,” Zegar said.
“I will continue to try to make a difference in someone’s life and help them find themselves again, even if it is just listening and just simply being human,” she said.
“Sometimes, all it takes is someone saying they will listen to their side of the story to make them have a glimmer of home,” Zegar said. “My elderly clients always leave a lasting effect on me, as well as inspire me with their stories,” she said. “I have come to admire them more and more and have the utmost respect for them and learned that it is through them, I can plan my future, as they always enrich me with what I can do to make my life and my family’s life better,” Zegar added.
“Do not judge anyone because you never know the inner struggles that someone faces, or has faced,” she said. “If there is not much of any help you can offer, the best thing you can do is offer them the compassion.”
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