Rubie’s Smiles Win Over Clients, Helps Them Feel Secure
Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Rubie Bagay knows immediately if she has connected with her clients because of their facial expressions. “My clients say my smile makes them feel safe and happy. For me, that is a wonderful compliment, it motivates me to work even harder and better for them,” Rubie said.
“As I look back and think of all of my clients and their families and how I’ve been able to help them and put smiles on their faces, I realized that being a senior-care professional is what I have been meant to be,” Rubie added. “When I first went out into the working world, I was a teacher by profession and taught for five years in my native homeland of the Philippines.”
While a teaching career was initially on Rubie’s mind, caregiving always has been in her heart. “When I was in high school, my maternal grandmother was ill with cancer. I usually brought her food for every meal. Every time my parents got sick, I also took care of them,” Rubie recalled.
Pivoting away from the Philippines, Rubie made a major life decision when she applied for a job in Israel, where she worked for 14 years and learned a multitude of caregiving skills. “My first job was to take care of an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s. She lived in a nursing home, and I was her private-duty caregiver for eight years. When she passed on, I worked in a retirement home for five years. During that time, I took care of a married couple. The wife had colon cancer, while the husband had heart disease,” Rubie explained.
While living in Israel in 2008, Rubie met her future husband Bobby, who also was working in professional caregiving. They were married in 2012 and came to America with the help of Home Instead franchise owner Bert Copple. Tipped off by a friend to the U.S. job possibilities at Bert’s award-winning franchise in Clawson, Michigan, Rubie had sought immigrant visa sponsorships for her and her husband under the caregiver job category.
“My friend thought we should apply and work in the United States. Bert assisted us in applying and processing all of the needed paperwork. Although it took four years to come here, I am glad I did. We joined Home Instead in April 2022. It has been an amazing journey, really an amazing experience working for Home Instead,” Rubie said. She and her husband have excelled with Home Instead. Bobby Bagay was honored as Clawson’s Care Pro of the Month in April 2023.
Rubie has never stopped learning. “I have gained a tremendous amount of skills in life, especially in caregiving. The Home Instead training helped me take care of my clients better. One specific training that has been beneficial to me is about Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Through this training, I gained skills that help me with my clients. I help them in their daily activities and providing companionship. Most of all, I can help them with the things they need at a given time,” Rubie said.
At the Clawson franchise, Rubie and other Care Pros are required to take part in the Home Instead network’s one-of-a-kind training protocol. Home Instead’s Person-Centered Care Training for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association® for incorporating the evidence-based dementia-care practice recommendations in these topic areas: Alzheimer’s and dementia, person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and behaviors and communication.
Rubie loves what her career and Care-Pro-client relationships have done for her. “My job helps me stay humble, and I am grateful for all of my clients. I am grateful they trust me to be their Care Pro. All of my clients and their families are so appreciative of what I do for them. Because of this, I am willing to set aside my personal time to help them whenever the situation arises. No matter how tiring my day is, I look forward to serving my clients,” she said.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (248) 203-2273 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
