By all accounts, it’s a great fit: Sierra Lastine and Home Instead® of Louisville, Colorado. Sierra’s adoration of her grandmother figured heavily in her job pursuit at the award-winning agency and Sierra’s subsequent February honor as the franchise’s Care Professional of the Month. “My relationship with my grandmother shaped my respect for maintaining dignity and independence as people age, and showed me how meaningful a simple presence can be,” said Sierra, who joined Home Instead in September 2025.
“My grandmother and I are very close,” Sierra explained. “She was a nurse all her life, but she always wanted to be an artist. She taught me to paint and draw when I was a kid. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with older family members and friends, which gave me an early appreciation for the wisdom and humor that come with age. While I was not a full-time family caregiver, I often supported older relatives through visits, errands and companionship.”
Describing her first six months with Home Instead, Sierra said: “It has been a very meaningful and grounding experience.”
She added: “I found Home Instead while looking for work that felt purposeful and relational. I have always valued connection across generations, and I was drawn to the mission of helping older adults remain safe and independent in their homes. The idea of building true relationships, rather than just providing care, really resonated with me. From the beginning, the team felt supportive and aligned with those values.”
While professional senior care has worked out well for Sierra during this season of her life, it probably wasn’t her first option after she earned her degree in English Literature from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction nearly two years ago. She is still on course for a plan to attend law school in the near future.
Sierra’s background is diverse, including service-oriented roles such as teaching and restaurant work where attentiveness, patience and communication are essential. “I was an au pair in Germany for six months for two children before starting work with Home Instead. I really loved the kids. They taught me a lot, even some German,” Sierra said.
Senior care does fall into Sierra’s wheelhouse. “What I love most is the relationship building. Each Home Instead client has a rich life story, and I feel honored when they share parts of it with me. I also deeply value being someone on whom they can rely – whether for daily tasks, conversation or a steady presence. It is rewarding to know that small, consistent acts of care can greatly impact someone’s quality of life. I’ve also discovered I really enjoy cooking for people.” Sierra explained.
“One of my favorite experiences was with a client who initially seemed reserved. Over time, through daily conversations and shared routines, he began opening up about his childhood, career and family. He told me about a summer road trip along Route 66, about how he quit drinking, about going to watch baseball games in Chicago and about living up in Nederland, a small mountain town about 17 miles west of Boulder. Watching that trust grow was incredibly rewarding. We became very close,” said Sierra, who embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
Brenda Munro, the recruitment and engagement coordinator for owner Michael Lammers’ Home Instead franchise that serves Boulder, Broomfield and northwest Adams Counties, effusively praised Sierra. “She is a natural. Sierra is kind, compassionate and reliable, and we have received compliments from every client with whom she’s worked. Most clients report that Sierra goes above and beyond the call of duty. For Sierra, touching lives impacts her soul, whether she is providing physical help such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders or personal care or if she is offering emotional support in a companionship role.”
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.
