In Sandra Kayitesi’s eyes, her mother is a compassionate hero and a wonderful role model. “I’ve seen my mom take care of her mom. By watching her do so, it sparked an interest in me to also look after the elderly. It was an amazing experience to witness my mom giving back in that manner,” said Sandra, an award-winning Care Professional with owner Kelly Hutchison’s Home Instead® franchise in Itasca, Illinois.
Sandra, who began her professional senior-care career in 2015 and has worked for multiple care communities, joined Home Instead about a year ago. “I found out about Home Instead through social media – Facebook – and it seemed like a nice place to work, so I applied there,” Sandra explained.
She pointed put: “I was looking for an environment where I could have a good relationship with the staff and be able to work and connect with the elderly for whom I cared. I also wanted a flexible schedule, and thankfully Home Instead has given me just that. I’ve really enjoyed my time with Home Instead.”
On Aug. 16, Human Resources Manager Alina Merrill announced Sandra had been honored as Care Pro of the Month. It isn’t hard to see that Sandra lives the Home Instead® guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
Compassion and empathy are evaluated when a Care Pro is considered for the employee of the month award. Of course, there are others. Has the Care Pro gone above and beyond the call of duty? Does the Care Pro possess the skills and wisdom to be highly successful? Is the Care Pro exceptional at her work with any client? Finally, does the Care Pro focus on Home Instead’s training, processes and procedures of successful caregiving? In other words, does the Care Pro work at getting better? Sandra’s work checked the boxes on all of those questions.
“My favorite part about working at Home Instead is the relationship with the elderly under my care. From talking to them and getting to know them to making them feel cared for is really something you can’t get anywhere else,” Sandra said.
“A female client with whom I work never complains and always wants to make me feel at home. She always asks me to sit down next to her, and she tells me about her travels with her husband back when she was young. She also shares memories about her kids, and I do the same. It feels as if time stands still when I am with her. It’s almost as if I’ve known her all my life. She then asks me to read the Bible for her and it’s an incredible experience.”
Sandra loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the Itasca franchise, a member of a network comprised of Home Instead, Inc. and its parent company, Honor. With the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform, Honor and Home Instead are revolutionizing care for older adults, their families and Care Pros. Combined, the network has more than 100,000 Care Pros across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide.
Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (847) 690-9825 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
