Frances Draws on Clients’ Fondness for Her Job Fulfillment
An observer with the Home Instead® franchise in Clearwater, Florida, wasn’t joking when he pointed out: “Search any dictionary for ‘humble,’ and don’t be surprised if you see a picture of Frances Ramos next to the definition.” That is the same Frances Ramos who was selected in January 2026 as the Care Professional of the Month at the award-winning Pinellas County franchise owned by Julie Castle. It was a deserving honor that she reluctantly accepted.
“I do my job and don’t expect any honors. I thoroughly enjoy my job because I enjoy being with the elderly,” said Frances, who joined Home Instead in September 2011. The Home Instead staff, including Vice President Colin Castle and Director of Care Professional Services JC Crady, have known for many years that Frances’ clients love their compassionate Care Pro. Some clients want Frances to stay longer or return more often. Smiling while acknowledging her clients’ feelings, Frances said: “That’s enough praise for me.”
“I do the best I can because my clients deserve it,” said Frances, who never calls off on her shifts unless it has been one of the few times when she’s been ill. Home Instead staff members noted that Frances’ work ethic and job commitment are second to none. For example, Frances has stayed with clients during challenging situations. Frances recalled one such stormy episode: “Irma, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in our area in September 2017.”
When pressed for details, Frances said: “For five days, I stayed with a couple who lived by the ocean in St. Petersburg. We were without electricity for the entire time. We watched the phenomenon of the winds sucking the water in the bay out to sea and revealing dry seabed before the winds shifted and pushed the water back into the bay. I took the attitude that it was like a little adventure to keep the clients from worrying. We lit little lanterns and showered with cold water, although it is Florida and the water wasn’t that cold. I thanked God we came through it.”
For Frances, communication, faith and bonding form a common thread for caregiving success. “With nearly every client, we chat after I get my light housekeeping and meal preparation duties done. Companionship is so important. Sometimes they have nobody else in their lives because they might have outlived family and friends, and we Care Pros might be the only people left with whom they have formed relationships. In general, our culture sometimes devalues the elderly. It is irritating when others show a lack of respect for seniors. I am always looking out for my clients’ best interests.”
Frances and other Care Pros sometimes are the only ones who are present when a client passes away. For Frances, those solemn occasions represent the final form of support. “We take the place of family sometimes, and I am up for that. Every senior deserves dignity and respect. I was holding hands with some of them when they passed away, and three clients died in my arms. I have heard their final words, and it was important to me. I assure them I am with them as they go on with their journeys. I have seen slight smiles. I want to be peaceful for them,” Frances said.
Sadly, Frances has experienced the deaths of family members and the responsibility of family caregiving, all of which has deepened her empathy. “I grew up and lived in Massachusetts until 1997, when I moved to Florida to take care of my mother, who’d gotten sick. She died in 2006. I had eight good years with her even though I was working outside the home,” Frances said. “I missed Massachusetts and had intended to return after my mother died, but my adult children had followed me here, and I couldn’t leave them. Tragedy struck with two of them. I lost my youngest son 10 years ago, and I lost my daughter two months ago at age 61. It has been hard for me, but God has a plan for everything, and I have a deep faith.”
Frances’ family caregiving and previous jobs have figured into the quality care she has provided for Home Instead clients. “I’ve had varied experiences, all of them rewarding. I’ve used those experiences in my subsequent jobs, sort of a stair-step fashion in life. No experience was wasted. My clients love to hear about my background when we get to know each other better. It is sad that other people have boring jobs. Mine all have been interesting,” Frances said.
When asked about her future, Frances chuckled and said: “I will keep working until I keel over or my bills are paid. For me, the way to stay refreshed is drawing close to God during corporate worship on Sunday mornings. I don’t work on Sundays until after noon so I can attend church. Church helps me for the whole week. I can be dead tired, but I go to church and feel reinvigorated. The weight comes off my shoulders, and I’m ready to get back to helping seniors.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (727) 799-1400 or visit our website.
