Ashley Views Clients as Her Family Members
When Ashley Kachal walks in the door and warmly greets her client, Ashley sees the image of a grandparent. Really, that’s the way it ought to be, the Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month pointed out. “Sometimes, it doesn’t feel like I’m at work,” Ashley admitted. “It always feels as if I’m with my grandma or grandpa, helping them and making their lives easier.”
“I love the connections and relationships I grow with my clients,” Ashley said.
While discussing her position as a Care Pro with owner Bert Copple’s award-winning Home Instead franchise in Clawson, Ashley recalled her earlier days as a sacrificial family caregiver. “I used to take care of my grandma until she never needed my help again. I took her to doctor appointments and did her grocery shopping. When she had surgery, I always helped with her personal needs and provided other care. I always made sure she took her medication. I also made sure she was getting her walks,” Ashley said.
Professional senior care clearly hadn’t been on Ashley’s job-career radar before an old friend mentioned Home Instead to her, but Ashley had had the compassion of a Care Pro. “I always loved helping others and taking care of them if it was needed. I am glad my longtime friend introduced me to Home Instead. Believe it or not, this job was the perfect fit for me. I do this job with my heart. I just had never found a job or career like this one,” Ashley said.
She joined Home Instead in 2019, and was honored as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month for February. To be in the running for Care Pro of the Month status, an employee must show she has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Empathy and compassion are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations. Ashley embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
In addition to her strong companionship skills, Ashley provides safety assurance, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and transportation and errands. Ashley offers personal assistance with eating, grooming, dressing, bathing, incontinence care, cognitive impairment, hospice support and mobility. By expertly doing so, Ashley and her fellow Care Pros not only assist their clients, but help their families eliminate worry, reduce stress and re-establish personal freedom.
An example of Ashley’s impact on her clients came in the form of a comment from one of them, which was meant only as a compliment to Ashley’s skills and winsome ways. When other Care Pros have asked her client, “Would you like your shower today?” the client replies: “No thank you, I prefer Ashley.” With a smile, Ashley humbly absorbed the compliment and said: “I think it’s so heartwarming and the best feeling ever when your client trusts you and depends on you. I love this job with everything in me. I’m very comfortable and confident when it comes to care and taking the lead.”
Ashley embraces her role on Clawson’s Care Pro team, 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.
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.
