It’s true: You can earn a PhD in “Happiness Studies” at an American university in New Jersey. But it feels as if Shay Wetzel is working on her own comparable doctorate as an award-winning Care Professional at Home Instead® of Louisville, Colorado. Shay has observed nearly every aspect of the human condition since she began serving seniors as a Care Pro. “What I value most is the education in humanity,” Shay said. “Caregiving is immersive, in which I learn through direct experience, through conversation and through silence.”
“I’ve stepped into people’s homes, routines, vulnerabilities and histories. Each shift has expanded my understanding of what caregiving truly means. This is not just a job, it’s relational and intimate, and it requires presence in a way few professions do,” explained Shay, who was honored as the Care Pro of the Month for March at the Home Instead franchise that serves Boulder and Broomfield Counties as well as northwest Adams County.
“Caregiving allows me to practice being fully present with another person, not distracted, not rushing, but attuned. That presence strengthens my ability to connect authentically. It refines my patience, empathy and emotional awareness. This field doesn’t just allow me to give care, it shapes me into a more conscious and compassionate person. Truly.”
Shay added: “The element I like most about my job is how much I learn about humanity. It teaches you by experience and engagement. Behavior is an important component of humanity. I have learned to read cues, build relationships and comprehend speech. Creating versatile spaces to one’s emotional and mental range can’t be downplayed.”
In keen observations, Shay noted:
- “I have begun to understand how behavior is often communication. I have learned to read microexpressions, tone shifts, hesitation and pride.”
- “Building relationships with seniors requires emotional intelligence. One must meet people where they are cognitively, emotionally and physically.”
- “Some days require humor. Some require stillness. Some require reassurance.”
- “Creating a versatile space, one that can hold grief, joy, confusion, nostalgia and independence is a skill that deepens over time. It has strengthened my patience and expanded my compassion. It reminds me that aging does not diminish a person’s depth, but it reveals it.”
Shay’s favorite client memories include witnessing loving relationships that last well into their 90s. “It’s an example some of us take toward experiencing something similar in life,” she said. During Shay’s first time working with one couple, she was deeply touched.
“The husband has cancer, and the wife is burdened with Parkinson’s disease. The husband had an urgent doctor’s appointment, and the wife silently wept. He slowly walked over and kissed her on the forehead and said, ‘I’ll be OK. Everything is going to be OK.’ He looked at me with a smile and said, ‘I have to stay strong because everything I do, it’s for her. That’s my other half.’ I cried as I witnessed that moment because love is powerful, and it is one of the purest things we can obtain and give,” Shay recalled.
“That moment with that couple shifted something in me. In a world that often highlights impermanence, I witnessed endurance. Even in illness and fragility, love remained steady.
Seeing relationships that have withstood decades of change, hardship and growth gives perspective. It reminds me that caregiving is not just about assisting with daily tasks. It is about protecting dignity, preserving connection and honoring stories that are still unfolding.
They remind you that behind every diagnosis is a partnership, a history and a heart that still chooses someone every day.”
Furthermore, Shay pointed out: “Every client I’ve had so far has had a strong background of unique ethics and values that have shaped their own colorful stories. You can see it in how they speak, reflect and carry themselves. It’s an honor to witness the lives they’ve built. To see vibrant people reach older age and intentionally choose where they feel most at peace, or remain in the place they call home, is incredibly moving. Aging does not diminish who they are, it just highlights the depth of who they’ve always been.”
Home Instead Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Brenda Munro has been amazed by Shay’s first three months with the award-winning franchise owned by Michael Lammers. Brenda explained: “From day one, Shay has been an outstanding Care Pro. I’m not sure we have ever had a new Care Pro rise to the top so quickly. From the very beginning, she has shown professionalism, compassion, reliability and heart. The way Shay connects with clients and the quality of her communication and documentation truly stand out.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (720) 890-0184 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at HomeInstead.com/397.
