Kathy, Client Visited San Diego Zoo Without Ever Leaving Michigan
If you could somehow drive for 35 straight hours, you could make the 2,345-mile trip from Waterford Township, Michigan, to the world-famous San Diego Zoo and enjoy all of the sights. Instead of actually traveling to Southern California, Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Kathy drew on her creative juices and took an innovative approach to providing stimulation and companionship for her client.
“One of my clients and I did a virtual tour of the San Diego Zoo by going online. We watched many videos of different animals. She was wheelchair-bound, so we could not go to any zoo in person. We just did it differently,” said Kathy, who was honored as the July Care Pro of the Month at owner Glenna Yaroch’s award-winning Home Instead® franchise that serves North Oakland County, including Waterford.
Kathy also has kept her clients entertained without having to head off into cyberspace.
“One of my hobbies is baking bread. I involved a client. I would bring most of the specialty ingredients and used the client’s flour and oil. I’d bake homemade oatmeal bread. I would make two loaves, and the client would have one, and I’d take the other one home,” Kathy said.
One of Kathy’s clients loved old movies. “We would watch them together,” Kathy said. “With my client, I saw many wonderful movies I had never been exposed to. She loved Gregory Peck and often commented on how very handsome he was. I printed off a picture of Peck and laminated it. She was thrilled and kept it by her bed.”
Kathy has become attached to professional senior care after other job experiences. “I spent 15 years at Michigan Bell/Ameritech as an operator, working in the warehouse and climbing poles to fix phones,” she said. “I also worked for three years at a latchkey program.”
A friend’s sister formerly worked for Home Instead, and she suggested Kathy try it. “I needed flexible hours, so I decided to take the job. It has worked really well for me,” said Kathy, who also has served as a family caregiver for her mother-in-law and mother.”
When asked what she likes most about working for Home Instead, Kathy said: “I have learned so much from my clients and fellow Care Professionals. They enrich my life.” For Kathy and her fellow Care Pros, touching lives impacts their souls, whether they are providing physical help such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders or personal care or if they are offering emotional support in a companionship role.
Kathy loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the Waterford franchise, 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, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (248) 886-7300 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
