Care Pro Veteran Ron Still Looks Forward to Bringing Joy to His Clients
At age 76, Ron Sasko was selected as his highly successful company’s very best employee for the first month of 2024. So, nearly seven years after he was first honored as a Care Professional of the Month at Home Instead® of Clearwater, Ron was asked to reflect on his time with the award-winning franchise owned by Julie Castle.
He paused and answered thoughtfully.
“I have been a Care Pro for a long time. I have cared for wealthy people, not-so-wealthy people and poor people. The bottom line is I provide the same high level of care, compassion and empathy to each and every client, no matter who they are. They all appreciate the love I bring into their homes. I have been doing this a long time, and I still look forward to seeing my clients to bring them joy,” said Ron, who joined Home Instead in October 2016.
“My age and maturity help me with this job, probably a lot. The company for whom I work relates to what makes me do this every day. Home Instead says, ‘To us, it’s personal.’ That is exactly how I feel. The company projects what every Care Pro has to offer. It is my fervent hope I will be able to give my clients all their needs to make them enjoy life.”
Referring to Ron, Home Instead Director of Care Professional Services JC Crady simply said: “He’s an awesome Care Pro.”
JC remembers when Ron contacted the Home Instead office about a job. Ron had been dealing with the sorrow of losing his wife to cancer in August 2015 and had been on a journey of healing. Helping others, Ron discovered, has miraculous restorative powers and intangible rewards. In March 2017, Ron was first honored as Care Pro of the Month.
At that time, Ron recounted the painful memories. “I took care of my wife for a year and a half before she passed. I kept her going for the final eight months, which were intense. I was taking her to the emergency room monthly because of infections,” said Ron, who had worked in the automotive business for 33 years, serving in financial department management. His employer allowed time off for the care of his wife, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 but overcame the disease and remained cancer-free for nearly nine years.
“Her cancer was Stage 4 when it was caught again,” Ron recalled. “It was a trying time and sad death. I needed assistance from family, and eventually hospice came in and was helpful. For the most part, I had not been an emotional person, but my feelings ebb and flow sometimes. A friend from work also died about that time, so 2015 was a bad year. The six months after that were more of a renewal for me.”
After Ron’s wife died, he decided to leave his job and go back to school. “I wanted to get into the health-care business at the ‘young age’ of 69. I started by learning Red Cross CPR. Then I went to a tech school and told the advisors I wanted to become a CNA or Home Health Aide. I wanted to give back to the community in the same way hospice helped us. The tech school advisors recommended hospice volunteering to see how far it would go for me. I received hospice certification.”
Later, Ron attended the tech school and became a certified Home Health Aide. He also passed the CNA classwork but never took the state exam, opting instead for a job in home health.
After being interviewed by several care companies, Ron searched the internet and found Home Instead. “From there,” he said, “I took a closer look at Home Instead by investigating its background and saw they had a successful system in place. They’ve been around since 1994, have a good reputation and are international. I thought being a Care Pro was something I could do. Their training was excellent, though it was mostly a refresher because I had just graduated from the tech school. Home Instead trained me the way they wanted me to do it, and I follow their guidelines. If I call with questions, they answer right away.”
Ron has prospered as a Care Pro, emotionally and spiritually. “When I made the decision to do this, I was determined to give 150 percent. I was not a young person, but I was healthy. I decided to continue to do this as long as I enjoy it,” Ron said. “As a senior myself, I am eager to take care of others who are not as blessed with good health as I am. I think eventually we’ll all have to do that for each other. As I always have said, I just want to give back and am honored to serve others, including the clients’ families.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (727) 799-1400 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
