We take a good and regular haircut for granted sometimes, but a haircut can change so much. This story of one Fitchburg family I want to share how it changed so much for their mom.
I received an amazing message from Debby Rouleau St. Jean about her mother in law, Yvonne St. Jean, who became a new resident at The Highlands Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation center in Fitchburg this past November. She is living with dementia, and as her condition has progressed “fairly quickly,” the family saw familiar routines slip away.
Yvonne St. Jean has always had her hair done nicely, getting cuts and perms regularly, but suddenly, she began saying she wanted to grow it out. The family respected that, gave her time to adjust … but her hair was getting much too long. The family tried using clips and pins and elastics, but nothing stayed in place and her hair kept falling into her eyes.
“We waited a couple months to get her used to the change of being in the nursing home and mentioned to her there was a salon in the building if she wanted to get her hair done,” Debby Rouleau St. Jean said.
This past week, the family mentioned it again … and Yvonne St. Jean agreed to go to the salon for “just a trim.”
While she waited, she watched the stylist working with three other residents with a similar short and curled style that she used to have regularly done.
The stylist, Sachira Correa, showed extra care and calmness, a gentle attention that was noticed and appreciated by Debby Rouleau St. Jean. “It was so nice to see and put me at ease knowing my mom was in good hands. ”
Yvonne St. Jean perked up, commented on how nice the haircuts looked, and when her turn came, she told the stylist, “Do whatever you want!”
Debby Rouleau St. Jean was amazed, and mentioned how she loved the other women’s haircut styles.
Correa listened, took her time, and she gave Yvonne St. Jean a cut that brought out beautiful natural curls and brightened her whole face.
“While I sat there watching her cut her hair, I watched her change … her face changed, her hair color changed,” Debby Rouleau St. Jean said.
She could see pieces of the Yvonne St. Jean she knew returning.
“I was watching my old mother in law come back and I couldn’t help but cry.”
Back upstairs, nurses were “speechless”!
Yvonne St. Jean looked in the mirror and smiled so big, happy, comfortable and proud.
Correa gave Yvonne’s St. Jean’ family “the best gift we could have ever been given. No words could thank her,” Debby Rouleau St. Jean said.
Correa deserves recognition for the care she brings into her work, providing care in every cut, What she does is clearly so much bigger than a simple haircut, she helps residents feel like themselves again. This is a gift that affects a few people in huge ways, and it is appreciated and seen. Thank you.
Sam Squailia is the mayor of Fitchburg.
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