Jennifer Pingley had desperately missed the opportunity to take care of people, which always has been her heart’s desire. Her battle to overcome health problems took priority, and that medical challenge was accompanied by an emptiness she felt from being pulled away from her job.
“I had been very sick for a couple of years and had to take time off. I really missed doing what I loved, but I had so much appreciation for everyone who helped me and made me want to get right back at it,” Jennifer said.
Then, at just the right time, Jennifer saw a Home Instead® commercial and thought applying for a Care Professional job would be a wonderful way to get back into her line of work without overdoing it until she was ready. “The Home Instead staff members were so caring and willing to work with me, and I knew this was right where I needed to be. And here I am two years later,” said Jennifer, who joined Home Instead of Winchester on July 13, 2020. Keith Clay owns the award-winning franchise that serves the Northern Shenandoah Valley.
Jennifer started her career in 2005 at Warren Memorial Hospital in Royal, Virginia, where she earned her CNA, CPR and first aid certifications. She then accepted a job in Leesburg, Virginia, where she worked several years and earned her MedTech, Resident Assistant (RA) and Personal Care Assistant (PCA) certifications. “I came back closer to home and started doing home health care and have continued ever since,” said Jennifer, who lives in Gore, Virginia, about 12 miles northwest of Winchester.
Family caregiving has been both a blessing and a sorrow for Jennifer, who has helped many family members and close friends. “I have seen so much personal loss in my 40 years on this Earth, and that is the reason I wanted to get into this profession,” Jennifer said. “I lost all four grandparents for whom I helped as a family caregiver. I also have lost three cousins and three aunts and uncles to cancer. In addition, I have lost several very close family friends for whom I served as an unpaid caregiver. I am now helping take care of my parents.”
When asked what she likes about being a Home Instead Care Professional, Jennifer answered the question with a question. “What isn’t there to like about my job?” Jennifer said.
- “I love getting to meet new people and helping them do the things they need and want.”
- “I love making our clients feel as if there is hope and help for them, as well as showing them there are still good people who care about them.”
- “I love learning new things and hearing about their lives and the things they have done and where they have been.”
- “I also love the Home Instead training classes that help us be better Care Pros.”
On March 31, Allyson Starling, who works in the franchise’s human relations department and in recruitment and retention, announced Jennifer had been honored as Home Instead’s Care Pro of the Month for April. Allyson and the Home Instead staff know Jennifer has been an integral part of many client stories and has made a big impact on clients and their family members.
Said Jennifer: “I had a gentleman whose health was declining because of a brain tumor. God bless him, because he set an example that showed me to never slow down or let life get you down. He kept going, and we spent every day as if it were the last one. He enjoyed every moment until the end.”
Jennifer also recalled: “I had a wonderful couple who had been married for 65 years. They loved each other more than life itself and showed me what true love is. To this day, even though they moved away, I still talk to them every week, and they are family to me and I am so grateful.”
Describing one of her current clients, Jennifer said: “I have an amazing lady who is like a mother, sister and my best friend. I couldn’t imagine one day going by without her in my life. We do everything together. If I have a day off, I still call or stop by to see her.”
She added: “I have so many wonderful client stories I could tell, but it would take a lifetime to tell them all. In the end, the clients and I have the wonderful memories of each other, and nothing can replace that.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (540) 722-8750 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
