Few people have faced challenges in life as Svitlana K. has. The Ukrainian native escaped her worn-torn country and became a Care Professional for award-winning Home Instead® of St. Charles, Illinois, where she earned the Fox River Valley franchise’s employee of the month honor in March 2025. Svitlana’s experiences before the war were a sometimes-overwhelming preparation for what she has successfully accomplished as a senior-care professional.
“Not everything has been smooth in my life,” Svitlana explained. “When my daughter was 18, she got into a car accident, suffered a serious spinal injury and other bone fractures. For more than three months, she was bedridden and could not move. She spent all that time in the hospital, and I did not leave her. I did everything to ease her condition.”
Svitlana added: “Then, my brother had a stroke, and I had to take care of him for some time while he could not move. Unfortunately, 10 years ago, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. She moved in with me, and for several years I did everything to ease her suffering.”
Svitlana didn’t originally set out to be a professional caregiver in the Ukraine, but that is what she did before coming to America. Svitlana said: “I previously had a similar caregiving experience in Ukraine. For two years, I looked after the elderly and people after they had surgeries or other health problems.”
Before the war in Ukraine, Svitlana worked for many years as a professional choreographer and director of the Dance Theater. “We did a lot of tours in Ukraine and abroad. My artists sometimes got injured, sometimes got sick. But the specifics of our work did not allow us to relax and go to bed. Since I had some experience with medical assistance, I had to treat them myself and do massages and injections during the tour. I was always good at it. And the artists could go on stage longer and continue the show for the audience,” Svitlana said.
She has been working in home care in America for 15 months, including the past year with Home Instead. “I found Home Instead on Indeed.com when I was looking for a job. At first, I applied to several other senior-care companies. I worked for one for a month, but after the client recovered, they could not find me another assignment. I realized this was a very small private company that could offer either low-paying work or a short-term job,” Svitlana explained.
“After carefully considering other companies, I saw a Home Instead ad. It turned out to be a franchise company with many offices in Illinois. It inspired trust and confidence in me that it had a serious approach to finding clients and training its employees. On March 8, 2024, I first met Home Instead representatives. I really liked the approach to paperwork and ongoing professional training. After two days, I was offered a job not far from my home,” Svitlana said.
Said James Wall, the Home Instead staffing manager in St. Charles: “Svitlana has consistently shown incredible selflessness in her care for our clients, going above and beyond the call of duty. She has been a tremendous asset to Home Instead, stepping up during emergency situations with grace and dedication. Her ability to remain calm and focused under pressure has made a significant difference in the lives of those in need, offering not only practical assistance but also emotional support during critical moments.”
James added: “Svitlana’s kindness and unwavering commitment to our clients’ well-being is truly remarkable. She approaches every challenge with a genuine desire to help, always putting the needs of others first. Her compassionate nature, coupled with her professionalism, has earned the trust and admiration of both clients and colleagues alike. We are incredibly grateful for the positive impact she has made, and for her dedication to ensuring the highest level of care is always provided.”
Finally, James pointed out: “Svitlana embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ ”
Svitlana said: “What I like most about this job is when I can help a client feel more independent from difficult life circumstances. I also feel fulfilled when I see his smile, and when he says his condition is improving and his optimism is growing. My goal is for the client to believe in his own strength and move through life with harmony in his soul. Overall, I am glad people have noticed my good work and my efforts to do it well. This is my life position: ‘Do everything in the best possible way and be grateful to God for every day you live on this Earth.’ ”
Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (630) 274-5050 or apply online.
For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at homeinstead.com/home-care/usa/il/st-charles/458
