When the door opens, a voice sometimes engages Michelle Powers with “Hi, Sunshine!” and a quick smile. Or sometimes the smile comes with “Hi, Sweet Pea!” Or through an ear-to-ear grin, there’s a “Hi, Peanut.” Those are times when the Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month’s smiles meet her kind eyes in a reciprocal greeting. Michelle explained, “When clients greet me with those nicknames as I walk through the door, that always makes me smile.”
Those experiences have been a part of Michelle’s life for the past year and a half with the award-winning Home Instead franchise that serves Boulder and Broomfield Counties and northwest Adams County. Using Indeed.com during her job search, Michelle discovered owner Michael Lammers’ Home Instead office in Louisville, Colorado, and found a good job fit.
“When investigating Home Instead, what stood out to me was how well the flexible scheduling worked with my nursing school commitments. Working for Home Instead has been a meaningful experience and has helped me realize that, as a future nurse, I may want to pursue hospice nursing professionally. The hands-on care and connections with clients have really confirmed my passion for this field,” Michelle explained.
With Home Instead, Michelle has shared her heart as an empathetic and compassionate hospice caregiver, a role that can be emotionally challenging even for experienced professionals and family members alike. Home Instead Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Brenda Munro said: “One client’s daughter told us how appreciative she was that Michelle was present with her parents when her mom passed. The daughter walked in, and Michelle was holding her dad’s hand, and it meant the world to the daughter.”
Brenda added: “Michelle was chosen as our Care Professional of the Month for January. She started with us in September 2024, works full-time and is amazing with some of our higher acuity clients. Michelle is super dependable and compassionate, and all our clients just love her.”
Michelle’s caregiving experience began when she helped her mother, who operates an adult day care. Michelle recalled: “That job gave me early exposure to working with older adults and providing hands-on support. I later expanded my knowledge, skills and experience by being accepted into a program at the Life Care Center in Longmont, where I completed my training and earned my CNA license.”
Michelle hasn’t been called into a primary role as a family caregiver yet, but she grew up in a family who has a variety of strong medical-field backgrounds. “Being around people who were always focused on helping others really influenced me and shaped my interest in caregiving,” Michelle said. “That environment inspired my passion for working in healthcare and providing compassionate care to others.”
When asked what she likes most about her job, Michelle said: “It is the comfort and trust that develops with clients over time. When they feel at ease with me and allow me into their routine, it helps them relax and maintain their dignity. Being able to anticipate their needs and provide support naturally is incredibly fulfilling. It is also meaningful to see family members feel reassured knowing their loved one is in good hands.”
Michelle added: “I also appreciate the small, heartfelt thank-yous my clients give, which they offer with great meaning. It’s something that may seem simple, but it gives me a burst of fulfillment. Another favorite moment is when they ask when I’ll be back as I’m leaving at the end of my shift. Those moments remind me that they feel comfortable, supported and genuinely cared for, which is very rewarding.”
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.
