Every change has made her stronger

For Senada Joldic, "home" is not just Berlin, but also Bosnia, where she was born and grew up. When the war broke out there, she fled the Balkans and found shelter in Berlin through her husband's aunt. "I always thought the war wouldn't last that long and I'd be back in three months. And now I've been here for 30 years."

A long period of time in which Senada Joldic has experienced many upheavals: "My employer's name has changed, but I've always stayed the same," says the nurse with a smile, summarising her 30-year career. Since starting out as a nurse in 1993, the Berliner has experienced several professional moves within the capital. In 2017, she made her last move for the time being to the "Warschauer Höfe inklusiv" residential facility in the hip Friedrichshain district. Senada Joldic has been looking after people with intellectual disabilities and mental illness in the former factory building for seven years now: "It was always like a new start, but every change has made me stronger."

The Charlottenburg resident by choice has to commute an hour across the capital to her office in East Berlin. But she doesn't mind, because she feels at home in Friedrichshain - also because the residents in the colourful neighbourhood are very well received. In general, their concerns are the 62-year-old's main motivation for coming to work with a smile every day. The nurse has worked three shifts for 18 years. For the past three years, Senada Joldic has only worked the early shift: waking up, making breakfast, preparing for work, attending doctors' appointments: "The residents' development and goals have kept me here. I haven't forgotten what I experienced with them." When dealing with her group, which consists of six clients, respect and acceptance are very important to her: "If I don't like the team, I can change. The residents can't do that. That's why it's so important that they feel comfortable," she says.