CAREGiver of the Quarter

My mother-in-law had a stroke, and my in-laws needed someone to sit with her during the day. I did that, and I also took her to doctor appointments,” said Veronica, who noted she had not previously worked in professional senior care. 

Veronica added: “Later, after I had quit a job in customer service, I was looking for work. I answered a Home Instead^® ad that I had seen on Indeed.com. I applied with Home Instead and received a call from Service Manager Julia Basaldua, and I came in for an interview.” 

CAREGiver of the Quarter Audrey’s love for senior care had its origins in a quaint South Carolina town many years ago. Audrey recalls the steamy summer visit to her grandmother’s home as if it were yesterday. In tiny St. Matthew, about an 11-hour drive from Audrey’s home in Brooklyn, New York, 12-year-old Audrey was sticking closely to her grandmother.

Audrey’s grandmother finally asked, “Why don’t you go outside and play with your brother and your sister?” Audrey replied, “I want to be with you and help you.” That’s when Audrey first thought about a career where she’d be a nurse or a caregiver. “Grandma was diabetic, and I learned about insulin. Once, she fell against the stove and was burned. I felt helpless not knowing what to do. I never wanted to feel that way again. I went to a high school with a nurse education program. I wanted to learn what to do. Grandma died before I could do that.”

CAREGiver of the Year Nina loves being with her family, and she emphasizes her clients are her family. As much as Nina helps each client through the day, they also have been a continual source of strength and comfort in her life "just by being there" during her challenging year.
 
"I have gone through a lot this year. Receiving the CAREGiver of the Year award was totally unexpected. As I pause and reflect on the year, I'd have to say the honor brought a lot of meaning to my life and a value that is more important than anyone could know. I am happy when I am with my clients, and I am not happy when I am not with them. They are my world, my family. They are what uplifts me," Nina said.

"I remember the client wanting to give up. He missed his late wife. He also mentioned his health was starting to prevent him from providing for himself. He said he felt as if he were a burden. That struck at my heart, and I had to say something uplifting," Rae explained.

"I encouraged him by saying that regardless of his problems, there is always a solution. I told him that I was willing to show him ways of helping himself while dealing with his disabilities and other challenges. Of course, I'd do the things for him that he could no longer do for himself. But I wanted to allow him as much independence as is safely possible. As we talked, the sight of hope that lit up his face made my day 10 times better."

Lucretia came home from grade school one day and admitted she wanted to punch a rude fellow student who'd made fun of her brother during lunchtime. As she poured out her frustration to her mother, it was easy to get a glimpse of Lucretia's huge, compassionate heart, one that aches for the vulnerable and compels her to defend and help them.

"I controlled myself," Lucretia remembered, "but I told Mom I was mad and wanted to do something about that student. Of course, you have to take a step back and rationalize that some kids can be mean when they see something out of the ordinary. Their social filters have not yet developed."

Nina has been helping people since she was a sharp, compassionate 11-year-old schoolgirl in La Porte, Texas. On her winding journey to Home Instead Senior Care^®, she has served as a family caregiver, worked as a nursing-home CNA and ran a group home for the elderly and disabled with her mother. 

"I started helping people in need before I was a teenager. My brother and I tried to be a big help to neighbors, especially the elderly. I'd take their trash out, mow lawns and run errands. We followed the example of our mother, who was a role model. When we were young, she handed out commodities, especially to the elderly," Nina said.

Rose has a big heart for kids and seniors. She worked in daycare for a number of years – including 11 for the same employer. Then Rose's father-in-law landed in the hospital. "I took care of him. I figured if I could take care of my father-in-law, I could take care of other seniors," Rose recalled. Helping her senior loved one wasn't her first attempt at family caregiving.

"Long before my father-in-law's situation, I had taken care of my 91-year-old mom, who had cancer, but I felt I was feeling my way through providing her care. For sure, it was more challenging. For one, Mom also was diabetic. But I was the one to take care of her," she said.