From a young age, David experienced the impact of mental health on a family first hand, learning of his mother’s own struggle with anxiety and depression and facing the challenges that come with ensuring she received the care she needed.

As time went on and more assistance was required, David took the lead on providing care, sparking a passion to join an industry that plays such an important role in caring for those in the community who need it the most.

“My family had a lot of mental illness on my mother’s side and I was exposed to it through my childhood and into adult life. I had to take on the responsibility of both my parent and her sister, both of which suffered anxiety and depression,” said David.

“I was the one that dealt with all the mental health teams and the like so it is something that I was familiar with and I gravitated toward.”

David joined a number of agencies in his early career, today enjoying the flexibility that comes with being with Prestige Inhome Care.

“You meet all sorts of people with all sorts of disabilities whether it’s a mental health issue or a physical issue and you meet so many people that your communication skills adapt to each situation.”

It is the refining of communication skills that helps David connect with so many varied and different people, understanding the vast differences that can be found between one individual and the next.

“You can walk into any situation and because of all that experience of trying to communicate with people with all sorts of different disabilities you find it is just natural and you can just clue into the environment and you can just rapport with people.”

“You have clients that are back and forth and love to talk and you have others who are just ‘yes’ or ‘no’. So you just adapt with the individual client. What their needs are and what their communication skills are.”

David firmly believes that each individual is different and he has found from years of experience, listening and care that there is always a way to build a connection.

Learn more about David’s story here.