Karrissa Newby had barely turned the page to her teenage years when she became a family caregiver. That formative, four-year episode of compassionate care for a family member eventually led Karrissa to a successful professional senior-care career. She recently was honored as the Care Professional of the Month for June at Home Instead® of south-central Houston, where Greg Gomez-Mira owns the award-winning franchise.
“My caregiving experience started when I was about 13 years old. I had an auntie who was a quadriplegic and confined to a wheelchair. Every day after school I would go to her house and take care of her,” Karrissa explained. “I made sure she ate dinner, had a bath and got in bed because we couldn’t afford caregiving services for her.”
She added: “I took care of my Auntie Rose until I was 17. She passed away some years ago. But I always knew that what I was doing was a true act of a service for God. I also had to be my mother’s family caregiver after she had brain surgery in 2020.”
Karrissa had quite a role model. Her mother worked in a nursing home. “I always went to work with her, so it kind of became natural thing for me to care for people. I enjoyed what I did. It’s the ‘Southern woman’ in me,” Karrissa said.
Explaining how she became acquainted with Home Instead, Karrissa recalled: “One of my aunts had used Home Instead’s services. That aunt’s Care Pro recommended that I seek work with Home Instead after I left a nursing-home position. I’ve worked for Greg’s Houston franchise twice within the past three years since I’ve lived in Houston. I also worked for a Home Instead franchise in Arkansas for two years in 2016.”
Pointing out what she likes best about her job, Karrissa said: “I know I’m helping somebody who can’t help themselves. One day I’ll get old too, and I hope to have somebody who takes care of me the same way my family has been cared for and the same way we all will need help one day if we are blessed to live long enough.”
Home Instead General Manager Destiny Wesley said Karrissa displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.” Karrissa not only assists her clients, but helps their families eliminate worry, reduce stress and re-establish personal freedom. She bonds well with her clients and their families while creating relationships through her compassion, empathy and caregiving skills.
Karrissa noted: “One client truly treats me like her daughter. She had only one child. As one of the older daughters for my mother, I knew how complicated it was to get help and have that support to help a parent as you’re still trying to navigate having a normal life. I was always the one to step up and be the family caregiver. It just was always in my nature.”
Karrissa loves being a part of the Care Pro team for one of the Houston area’s outstanding Home Instead franchises, a member of the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform. Overall, there are 100,000 Care Pros worldwide meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families. For Karrissa and her fellow Care Pros, touching lives impacts their souls, whether they are providing physical help such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders or personal care or if they are offering emotional support in a companionship role.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 774-2215 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at HomeInstead.com/541.
