Client Was Unable to Speak, But She and Charon Formed a Bond
Twice-honored Care Professional of the Month Charon Franklin, who has worked for Home Instead® of Clawson since May 10, 2017, had never had an assignment like the one she received a little more than two years ago. The client could neither speak nor communicate by writing, and she was confined to a wheelchair. But the client’s hearing was good, and she could comprehend what people were saying.
“I had a good feeling about her, and I was not worried about assisting her because of her challenges. We got along from the very first minute I was there – we had an instant rapport. Her spirit was so sweet. During the introduction, her daughter said, ‘Mom, this is Ronnie.’ She seemed to understood why I was there and was happy to see me. Because she could hear so well, she would nod in agreement or acknowledgement,” Charon explained. “Among the things she liked, I would pat the bottom of her feet and rub her shoulders.”
Charon added: “When I think of great achievements with Home Instead, I would definitely say that building relationships with our clients with compassion, companionship, patience and endurance is at the top of the list. Also, knowing that my clients appreciate me being with them is right up near the top. I find being a Care Pro can be challenging, but it is rewarding work.”
When an observer asked Charon about the sorrows of the job, she answered with an example that was fresh in her mind: “After spending two fulfilling years with my client, it was a tremendously sad day when I lost her Feb. 10, 2023, at a hospital, where she had been placed on hospice seven days previously. Even though my client was hospitalized and her daughter was with her constantly, her daughter requested my presence for my regular shift of 1:30 to 5:30 each day. It was an honor to be with her during her final days.”
Charon’s client passed away after her organs began to shut down. “Her stamina was withering away,” Charon said. “I was just leaving the house to go there when I got the call that she had died. Her daughter was crying. I was crying. I remember I kept saying, ‘I am so sorry. I am on my way.’ I was sad, for sure, but I was not devastated. My client’s suffering had ended, and I believe she was in a better place. I had had the same experience with my mother. Mom was so ill for so long. You pray for many things, including healing and for the suffering to end, but nothing can prepare you for that moment when a loved one dies.”
Charon, her client and the client’s daughter packed a lot of memories into the two short years when they were together. The client’s quiet, reserved husband also was there, but his condition allowed him to live independently with all activities of daily life. “The daughter has been taking care of her parents for eight years. We collaborated closely on her mother’s care. When I’d arrive, I’d tell the daughter, ‘Ms. A., fill me in on things,’ ” Charon said.
The client liked puzzles, so they did them together. “I brought a coloring book and would work on it with her even though she had very limited use of her hands. I colored one side of the book, and she would work on the other side,” Charon said. “She loved music from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, including Frank Sinatra and old school music like that. She liked soft and soothing music. I knew she knew the music because she tried to sing along.”
Her client’s challenges were not unlike those of Charon’s mother. Charon was 16 years old, enjoying her junior year in high school, when she suddenly was thrust into the role of family caregiver for the first time. Her mother suffered a stroke, the first of a series of maladies she’d endure during the next 38 years.
“At 16,” Charon recalled, “it was devastating to me because at an early age, life got hard. I was the only daughter still living at home, along with two brothers. But I was not alone because my four adult sisters stepped in and helped when I was in school during the day. Mom lost her ability to speak for a day, but she bounced right back. However, it seemed as if it was the start of other health problems for her. Later, Mom had asthma and various illnesses, including fatal bone cancer. Through this experience, I learned to focus on helping others and to hold tightly to my faith just as my brave mother did. Her spirits were so good, and she never questioned God.”
When Charon entered professional senior care for the first time with Home Instead, she had a pretty good handle on the job. “Even when I was in the workforce, Mom would have periods of illness. I’d reshape my work schedule to go in at 6 a.m. and get off at 2 p.m. then go to the hospital and sit with Mom until 7 p.m. I never was bitter or regretted a moment I spent with her. Mom appreciated me and often told me, ‘You are the best daughter ever. I would not trade you for a million dollars,’ ” Charon noted.
Charon, honored as Care Pro of the Month in May 2018 and in March 2023, also would not trade her Home Instead job for another one. “I don’t plan to go anywhere else. I plan to stay with Home Instead,” she said. “I love the opportunity to work with seniors. They are the foundation of society, a wonderful generation. They are so strong and have so much wisdom, knowledge and a wealth of experiences. There are so many stories, so many episodes in their lives. Not only are the clients good people, but our staff is friendly and supportive. They greet you with open arms. The whole staff is very knowledgeable.”
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.
