Care Professional Awards & Recognition

Do You Know Someone With A Caring Heart?

We all have that someone who is a natural born caregiver. If you know a friend or family member that would make an outstanding Care Pro, someone who would easily receive a standing ovation from Home Instead, please share the career opportunity - we’d love to meet them!

Care Professional of the Month: Cathy

Congratulations to Cathy, our February Care Professional of the month! Cathy has been with us less than a year, and in that little time she has shown us what an amazing Care Pro she is! She is always willing to help out last minute with fill ins. She loves helping people and will go just about anywhere.

One of her clients had this to say about her: "I am very fond of Cathy; she's considerate, warm and thoughtful. She even looks up the basketball schedule for me and writes down on my calendar when there is a game, so I don't miss it. She is one of a kind."

Cathy, we are so happy to have you as part of our Home Instead team! Thank you for taking such great care of your clients. Congratulations!

Care Professional of the Month: Julie

Congratulations to Julie, our January Care Professional of the month! Julie started at Home Instead over the summer and has been a breath of fresh air ever since. Clients love her; we love how responsive and caring she is. It is very apparent she is meant to do this type of work.

This is from a family member of Julie's client:

“Julie, you possess the perfect personality and skills for the work you do! You are so very kind, gentle, soft-spoken, and thoughtful with our mother. You have worked patiently and diligently to earn her trust, evidenced also by her willingness to ask you to look at little bumps or scratches or achy spots she sometimes notices on herself. That trust in you warms our hearts and means so much to us! You are another pair of eyes on her health and well-being!”

We are so happy to have Julie as part of our Home Instead team! Congratulations, Julie!

Care Professional of the Month: Kathy

We are so happy to announce that Kathy is our Care Professional of the month for October! Kathy's two year anniversary is coming up in November. Kathy has been with her current clients now for so long that she feels like family to them.

Here is what one of her clients, Mrs. B had to say about her; "I can always count on her. She comes when she is scheduled and is always very prompt. She takes care of my dog, treating him like a human, as I do. She brings her own dinner and we eat together. She will even feed the dog some of her food, which is what I do! She is always mindful of the dog and his needs, walking him twice every evening. Kathy also knows I am not great on stairs, so she checks the mice traps for me, which most people won't do. Lastly, she sweeps my walkway each shift, to clear the leaves and debris, so I won't fall when going out." Kathy has been with Mrs. B since she started service with Home Instead. What a special bond she has developed with her.

Kathy also takes care of a couple, Mr. and Mrs. K, that have nothing but good things to say about her; "She makes things good for my wife. She does everything above and beyond. She makes it a good atmosphere for us to live in. She has a regular routine which is helpful to us. She is always here; I never have to worry about her not showing up! She is dependable, we really need that and appreciate her for it. She also does nice things for my wife, like painting her nails and doing her hair. She also takes good care of our pets. We love having her here."

It is so nice to hear what Kathy's clients have to say about her! Congratulations, Kathy! You certainly deserve to be our Care Pro of the Month! We are so happy to have you as part of our Home Instead team. You have certainly made a difference in the lives of all your clients. Thank you!

Care Professional of the Month: Lisa

We are excited to announce that Lisa is our September Care Professional of the Month! Lisa will be celebrating 7 years with Home Instead next month. Lisa is so cheerful and is like a ray of sunshine when she walks into the room!

She has been with her current client for over 2 ½ years. They have developed a very special bond. They are such a perfect match! Lisa is very accommodating to her client’s schedule if she needs to make any changes. This is what her client had to say about Lisa:

A Tribute to Lisa
“If I were to describe my relationship with Lisa, I'd say we make a great team! From her cheerful morning greeting to the end of her shift, we enjoy each other's company and have a lot of fun. Lisa helps me in so many ways, from overseeing my shower routine, to performing household chores, to maintaining my bed and laundry, to making my lunch every day. And I depend on her to drive me to appointments and errands.
But most of all, we have fun going out and about, like to the farm stands for fresh vegetables, to Bartlett's for fresh pastry, or just for coffee and doughnuts. Recently, we took a trip to Plunkett Lake in Hinsdale so I could show her where my family owned a lakeside cottage years ago. We enjoyed exploring the area, and she liked hearing my stories about the neighborhood and old times at beautiful Plunkett Lake. We both had a wonderful time.
In summary, I really appreciate all the things Lisa does for me to make my life easier and brighten my day”.

Lisa, we are so happy to have you as part of the Home Instead team and look forward to another 7 great years with you! Congratulations!

Care Professional of the Month: Katie

🎉 Congratulations to Katie, our August Care Professional of the month! Katie is a breath of fresh air, always smiling and kind. Her clients have great things to say about her as well. We are lucky to have her here at Home Instead.

One of Katie‘s former clients who suffered from a memory impairment loved Katie because she was reliable, engaged in his interest, and was supportive to not only him but his daughter as well. His daughter deeply needed an outlet to express herself and how she was feeling. With seeing her dad decline, no longer recognizing her, and so on. She gave her respite but also a listening ear.

A current client states, “Katie is a credit to the game. She’s a good caregiver and so enthusiastic. She’s just sparkling with it! When she’s here with me, we always have something to talk about, largely due to Katie. Her companionship is genuine. She’s a very pleasant girl. I enjoy having her around. Anything I have to say about Katie is all positive. She’s a Spitfire… In a nice way! I give her a thumbs up… with enthusiasm!

Katie is also great about reaching out to the office for feedback and suggestions along with updating us on client changes. Her fellow Care Professionals report they love interaction with her!

Thanks for being awesome Katie, you are a great complement to the Home instead team!

Care Professional of the Month: Thelma

Congratulations to Thelma, our Care Professional of the month!

Thelma's client has an advanced memory impairment, so Thelma's main purpose is to help her client’s husband in caring for his wife. Daily shifts with Thelma allow him the ability to get out of the home while giving him the assurance that his wife is safe and well cared for. Thelma has a steady, yet calm and reassuring demeanor which makes her a perfect match. It also benefits her client’s husband as Thelma shares her knowledge with him, whether verbally or by action. Her approach is great because it is not pushy or judgmental, but practical and always leading with heart. This "working together” approach has created a bond between them, as he looks to Thelma for guidance and advice. For a husband who was reluctant to start care, they increased quickly to daily shifts, because of Thelma and "what she brings to the table."

Most recently, this couple came down with COVID-19 and Thelma graciously offered to do food shopping and errands while they were sick. Thelma also made it a point to call them for daily check ins to see how they were progressing and offer support over the phone. In speaking to her client’s husband, this has been a great reassurance to him, as he was concerned for Thelma, as she was for them.

This is what her client’s husband had to say about Thelma, in his own words:

“I can’t say enough about Thelma on how compassionate, kind and caring she is for my wife. I could tell the first day she came last August on how they interacted on the first day and I knew it was a great match for the both of them. Thelma takes care of her and I feel so comfortable leaving the two of them together in the morning. Everyday I stop at Starbucks to pick them up a Chiai Tea Latte so they can have tea together as I know my wife enjoys that with her. Thelma is a gem and I can’t say enough about her and how happy we have been for the last year with her in the mornings. She is a great asset for Home Instead to have that kind of person on their staff and she deserves to be recognized as the great person she is every day”.

Congratulations, Thelma! We are so proud to have you on the Home Instead team!

Care Professional of the Month: Allison

We are so happy to announce that Allison is our Care Professional of the month!

Allison has been with Home instead since 2019. She has had multiple clients since she came on board and has been a wonderful Care Professional with each one of them. Allison is very dedicated, consistent, and reliable and is always happy to jump in to cover her clients, including her long-term client. She has been with her since her career began with Home instead and has been known in the past to pack an overnight bag during a snowstorm “just in case” and be on standby to fill-in with her if needed. She also has a “gal pal” night with this particular client every other Saturday. They have a special dessert or share a treat and watch the client’s favorite TV show. On special occasions, such as holidays, they will celebrate their night with a very special treat, her client’s favorite, a Canadian Meat Pie and some sparkling cider that they pretend is champagne!

Allison is also very good at keeping client care up-to-date on changes or needs her clients have.

Thank you, Allison, for being such an amazing part of the Home Instead team! Congratulations!

Care Professional of the Month: Joan

Congratulations to Joan, our Care Professional of the month!

This Fall, Joan will be celebrating 19 years with Home Instead! Just imagine the number of clients she has cared for and the lives she has changed with her love and caring for others. While Joan doesn't currently have a full-time client, she is known around the office as "our Tuesday & Thursday overnight go-to-girl!" Joan is always quick to help out with clients who are being discharged from the hospital or starting Hospice care. She is called into service often on short notice and willing to help these clients who need immediate care. Joan's last client was on Hospice and the family feedback on her was wonderful. She really made a difference in the lives of the whole family. We are all so happy to have her as part of our Home Instead team!

Care Professional of the Month: Priscila

Congratulations to Priscila, our Care Professional of the month! Priscila has been an amazing and dedicated member of the Home instead family since 2012.

She often goes out of her way to lend a hand for her clients, whether it’s doing a short notice fill-in shift, or adjusting her schedule to accommodate theirs. Priscila is so dedicated that she even endures weekly COVID testing in a facility where one of her clients lives, to be able to continue working with her under the new COVID policies in the facility. She even jumps in to help clients that are not her own, like when she volunteered to work on Christmas Day with a client!

One client says “ she’s always doing special things for me. She also does extra things on her own, like cleaning my microwave, and mopping the kitchen floors. Things she doesn’t have to do but I appreciate it”.

Thank you, Priscila, for being a part of the Home Instead Family!

Care Professional of the Month: Michelle

Congratulations to Michelle, our CAREGiver of the month!

Michelle has been with Home Instead since 2018. Her clients had nothing but great things to say about her! “I don’t know what we would do without her.” She is great with technology and they say “she can figure almost anything out. She is very smart, you know!” They went on to say how they look forward to her shifts and how much they appreciate her quality of work, the kindness she shows to them and again, her ability to solve computer and other technical issues. They also said she’s a fabulous cook and look forward to eating her meals. Lastly, she is consistent as she rarely calls out and we know we can always count on her. She is flexible when there are changes to her client’s schedule and is a natural team player, always willing to help the team, especially when orienting new CAREGivers. Your hard work and devotion to your client do not go unnoticed. Thank you for sharing your heart and being part of the Home Instead team!

Care Professional of the Month: Tammy

Congratulations to Tammy, our CAREGiver of the month! Tammy has been with us since 2017. Since then, Tammy has helped many of our clients of varying capabilities and needs. She forms trusting bonds with her clients and their families, giving them peace of mind and confidence knowing she’s trustworthy and will be there for them when needed.

One of her clients states that she is tidy and reliable and very efficient with giving him his sponge bath. More importantly, he said, she makes me smile and laugh, which is a huge compliment as this client suffers from depression.

Thank you for sharing your heart and being a part of the Home Instead team!

Care Professional of the Year: Liz

We are so proud to introduce you to Liz, our 2021 CAREGiver of the year!

Liz has worked for Home instead since 2013 and has demonstrated her compassion and care of every client she has helped, without exception. We created this video to celebrate Liz’s accomplishments. Thank you, Liz, for sharing your heart. CONGRATULATIONS!

Care Professional of the Month: Beth

Congratulations to Beth, our CAREGiver of the month! We are always hearing wonderful things that Beth is up to at her clients’ homes, but when you get a chance to read words from a family member, it is even more amazing.

“Getting to know Beth as a person has been such a pleasure! We love how she deals with our parents and the growing physical and mental challenges that present themselves… Always with respect and dignity. Her strong sense of family, love and devotion are apparent in everything she does. Words cannot express how grateful we are to have her as our parents’ caregiver! She is a godsend, not only to them, but to us as a family!”

Thank you, Beth, for sharing your heart and for being you! We are so happy to have you as a part of our Home Instead team.

Care Professional of the Month: Sharon

Congratulations to Sharon, our CAREGiver of the month! Sharon has been sharing her heart with Home Instead since 2017! Some comments from her clients family:

“It didn’t take long to see that Sharon was gifted with the ability to care for aging people with dignity, compassion, and grace. With great relief, we also learned that Sharon would provide our family with comfort and guidance as we navigated through this new world where the child becomes the caregiver”.

Sharon, we want to thank you for building trust, taking the lead and sharing your heart not only with your clients, but their families as well. Thank you for being a part of the Home Instead team!