Katie H., a Care Professional of the Month at Home Instead® of Fox River Valley, an award-winning franchise in St. Charles, Illinois, got her first taste of senior care when she was a schoolgirl. “I learned at a young age that family is important, especially when they’re older and sick. That’s when they need us most,” Katie explained. “I first took care of my grandparents, and later my parents as a young adult.”
Referring to senior-care challenges, Katie said: “I’ve seen it all firsthand, some experiences at a young age and some experiences when I got a little older. I honestly think it has made me who I am today. I believe something honestly happens for a reason, and I believe in my heart it’s in me to be such a caring person and to have a job where I can do just that.”
Katie pointed to meals as one of the important bonding points in family relationships. As a result. she knows the importance of meal preparation as a Home Instead Care Professional.
“Food is big in just about any family because that’s when everyone comes over to grandma’s house after she has been cooking all day,” Katie said. “The bonding started with my grandparents. Then the dynamic flipped. They got sick, and my family and I cared for them. We’d make sure their meds were taken on time, and that proper care was given. We gave them anything we could to make them as comfortable as possible.”
Before Katie joined Home Instead, she always had worked in the service industry, where she further honed her “people skills” with a humble servant’s heart. “I served tables, then it went from taking care of tables to handling weddings and banquets,” Katie said. “It was honestly really fast-paced, and I learned as I went along and met a lot of really nice co-workers and nice people I would take care of.”
Katie added: “Talking to people and being able to provide a decent conversation and a nice smile doesn’t take a whole lot, and I loved being able to get out there and hopefully put a smile back on their face just by simply taking care of anything they might need while I waited on them or served them. I’m a people person, I just genuinely enjoyed serving. I also use to work in a high school cafeteria kitchen, making very big pans of food.”
For Katie, a life of service translated easily into the role of Home Instead Care Pro. In addition to her strong companionship skills, Katie provides safety assurance, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and transportation and errands. Katie offers personal assistance with eating, grooming, dressing, bathing, incontinence care, cognitive impairment, hospice support and mobility. By expertly doing so, Katie and her fellow Care Pros not only assist their clients, but help their families eliminate worry, reduce stress and re-establish personal freedom.
To build on their knowledge and experience, Katie and other Fox River Valley Care Pros are offered the opportunity to increase their dementia-care skills by taking part in the Home Instead network’s one-of-a-kind training protocol. Home Instead’s Person-Centered Care Training for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association® for incorporating the evidence-based dementia-care practice recommendations in these topic areas: Alzheimer’s and dementia, person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and behaviors and communication.
“When I had found Home Instead in March 2024,” Katie explained, “I was recovering from a broken ankle. I found Home Instead on Indeed.com. When I received the call from the Home Instead human resources person and scheduled an interview, I was so excited. I was finally getting back to work, getting on my feet again and making a difference. I was ready to give a helping hand to people who really needed it, and it felt good. I finally felt as if I was exactly where I needed to be.”
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.
