For about two months, Home Instead® Caregiver of the Month Rosalie Hilliard soaked in pearls of wisdom from a 98-year-old client who had worked for IBM for 40 years and retired as a senior systems engineer. Rosalie will never forget many of the pithy sayings.
- “Be yourself, but be your best self.”
- “Dare to be different and follow your own star.”
- “Don’t be afraid to be happy.”
- “Enjoy what is beautiful.”
- “Love with all your heart and soul.”
- “Believe that those you love also love you.”
- “Disregard what the world owes you, and concentrate on what you owe the world.”
- “When you are faced with a decision, make that decision as wisely as possible, then forget it.”
- “The moment of absolute certainty never arrives.”
- “Live each day to the fullest.”
- “Get the most from each hour, each day and each age of your life. Then you can look forward with confidence and back without regrets.”
Rosalie said: “I was so touched by my client’s life story, and it was an honor to take care of her for the two months before she passed away. She had been a part of IBM since the late 1940s, starting as a trainee who did not have a bachelor’s degree. My client said she always had set goals and worked hard to achieve them. ‘It was hard, but worth it,’ my client told me.”
Rosalie’s client also pointed out that even though she was busy with her career, she never compromised her personal life. The client told Rosalie that she made sure she’d always have quality time with her family and friends. When the client and her husband retired, they chose to live in the mountains far from the city. Rosalie added: “She turned part of their property into a wildlife conservation sanctuary, so their impact will be felt for quite some time to come.”
Rosalie also has made her own impact with Home Instead of Winchester, Virginia, an award-winning franchise owned by Keith Clay. Rosalie joined Home Instead in June after she found Home Instead through a job-vacancy advertisement looking for part-timers. “One of the reasons I accepted the job is their scheduling flexibility,” Rosalie explained. “I am still in the process of getting my human resources certification for the United States, so with a Caregiver job, I am able to study for my upcoming exam and at the same time I can work during my free time.”
Rosalie added: “Although I applied as a part-timer only, I am enjoying working for the company. I like the management, the schedulers and my co-workers. It is a team. I found Home Instead to be a very professional and organized company.” In November, General Manager Allyson Starling announced that Rosalie had been honored as Caregiver of the Month for the franchise that serves the Northern Shenandoah Valley.
Rosalie did not have professional caregiving experience or any experience in health care before she joined Home Instead. She said, “Despite being new to the industry, I was confident before going to my first assignment because of the complete Home Instead training, both theoretical and practical, as well as mentoring and job shadowing. There also are Home Instead refresher courses that are very helpful for the Caregivers.”
While Rosalie’s work background is related to taking care of people, it was on different level. She said, “I worked as a human resources professional outside the United States. I worked in Dubai, Maldives and Oman for many years in HR departments. When I started working for Home Instead, I realized I really love dealing with people no matter what situation they are in. It is a passion for me.”
Rosalie’s job fulfillment is generated by seeing her clients’ smiles and their appreciation for her presence. She said, “What is most rewarding is hearing these words or similar phrases: ‘Thank you very much for taking care of me, and thank you very much for being so understanding about what I need to feel better.’ There’s a feeling of success as a Home Instead Caregiver. It is like, ‘Yes! I did it!’ when I have assisted a client.”
Rosalie added: “I would like to add that I always put my heart into everything I do. I thank Home Instead for giving me an opportunity to work for them and for their appreciation of my assistance to our clients.”
All Home Instead Caregivers are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please apply online. For further information about Home Instead services, visit our website.
