Marilyn ‘Unretires,’ Finds Fulfillment
For Marilyn, it was time to “unretire” in March 2021. Enter Home Instead® of Waterford.
“I’d been retired for a year and a half after 24 years in physical therapy and 20 years in therapeutic massage. I was getting the itch to come back to what I’d done previously, and that is caring for people,” said Marilyn, who found owner Glenna Yaroch’s award-winning Home Instead franchise on Indeed.com. In June 2022, General Manager Gail M. Wilk announced Marilyn had been honored as the July Care Professional of the Month at the Home Instead office.
Marilyn explained: “In my other jobs, I worked with a lot of seniors, and some of them became my good friends. That also has happened with Home Instead because my clients have become friends. For me, this job is a win-win. One-on-one care is really nice. In addition to working with clients, I love getting involved with families and helping them. Sometimes a Care Pro does a lot of teaching with the family.”
Home Instead has been a great fit for Marilyn and her situation. Gail said: “We find that many people decide to ‘unretire,’ or return to work, perhaps in part-time roles, after their initial retirements. According to 2019 research conducted by the Home Instead corporate office, 53 percent of those soon to be retiring believed they were likely to return to work after retirement.”
Home Instead’s ‘UnRetire Yourself’ program encourages people to think of a combination of their passions and experience to find fulfilling post-retirement employment. Perhaps that combination points to professional caregiving. Gail added: “We are so happy Marilyn chose Home Instead, and it was a natural one for her because she had enjoyed her work as a physical therapist and massage therapist. Clients and their families benefit from Marilyn’s professional background, skills and wisdom, as well as her compassion.”
Marilyn also has served as a family caregiver, sometimes traveling a long distance to do so. Her father, who lives several hours’ drive away in northern Michigan, recently underwent a five-hour hip surgery. He is a 97-year-old military veteran of World War II and the Korean War. “I have three other sisters. One sister is with Dad in Bay City, where there is no Home Instead franchise. The area does have some home health care agencies,” Marilyn said. Her other family caregiving included helping both grandfathers, including her maternal grandfather who stayed with Marilyn’s family for a time when she was young. “I grew up helping people. That kind of spirit was instilled in me. I want to help others,” Marilyn said.
One of Marilyn’s Home Instead clients is a 57-year-old man who suffered a long-term brain injury at age 7 when a drunk driver caused a life-changing accident. After the accident, he was in a coma three months and later endured quite a few surgeries. “The client’s parents are wonderful and need overnight help, which I provide four to five times a week. At night, it’s me and another Care Pro. His mother is a phenomenal mom who is a devout Christian, and I am of the same faith. It is another of the fulfilling bonds.”
Marilyn added: “The client has a good appetite and drinks plenty of fluids. He communicates well, and is very polite and easygoing. He uses ‘please’ with his requests. I draw on my PT background as I try to keep his legs strong. He’s quite a character – he owns 20 guitars and sees himself as a rock-and-roller. He has long hair like Bob Seger and says, ‘I like my hair.’ ”
For two other clients, a husband and wife, Marilyn served as a member of a 24/7 Care Pro team. “Teamwork is so important. Keeping each other in the loop is huge.”
Marilyn doesn’t foresee a second retirement any time soon. “I see myself working many hours the rest of my life. I had intended to work for only a couple of nights a week, but the need was there. I let the office know when I need time off, so the flexibility is good,” Marilyn said.
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.
