Cindy’s Suggestion Helps Client Deal With Challenge
Short and to the point, a Home Instead® 82-year-old client said, “Cindy is smart.”
The client, who recently was widowed and was not sleeping well, wondered aloud about her insomnia. Cindy, an overnight Home Instead Care Professional who has been helping the client for three months, suggested a talk with the client’s doctor. “Maybe after you discuss it, he can find something to help, and it might be just temporary,” Cindy offered. The client followed up, found success and praised Cindy’s overall medical knowledge and timely observations.
Cindy’s wisdom, experience, compassion and ability to listen intently to what her clients say are among the reasons Cindy has been honored for the second time as a Home Instead Care Pro of the Month for owner Glenna Yaroch’s franchise that serves North Oakland County, including Waterford, Clarkston, West Bloomfield and 15 other communities. General Manager Gail M. Wilk announced both of Cindy’s awards, in July 2020 and in June 2022.
“The client likes me, so that’s a start with winning her confidence,” said Cindy, who embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.” “By observation and listening closely to many different medical situations over the years, I’ve learned a lot. I try to continue to learn new things every day. You cannot underestimate the power of empathy. Seniors desperately want someone to listen to them.”
Referring to her client, Cindy said: “When we Care Pros talk to her, she wants to hear about our lives, so we share with her. Everyone loves her. She is so gracious. Eventually she may not need help at night. She is doing so much better.”
Most clients prefer to remain as independent as possible, and Cindy tries to follow that train of thought as long as they are safe. “One lesson I’ve learned over the years is, don’t make them depend on you to do things they can do because it is better to try to keep them functional if it is still safe. Once they lose the ability to do something, it is hard to get it back,” Cindy said.
Two years ago, Cindy was part of an unusual client success story. The client was in his 60s, suffered a work-related fall, was hospitalized and came home after a rehabilitation stint. “He had a totally ‘with it’ mentality and was optimistic emotionally. He and his wife are a nice, wonderful couple. They are positive people who were working hard for him to improve his condition. His wife helped with his care. When I was with him, he already did a lot for himself. It was exciting to be on this end of things, where a client sees a good outcome,” Cindy said.
Cindy, who joined Home Instead in December 2019, has spent 32 years in senior care. She explained her move to Home Instead: “I had been working for another agency and lost a client, which is often what eventually happens. They just didn’t have any other clients, so that eliminated my work possibilities. A relative recommended Home Instead.”
Cindy was in a high school program where she learned the nursing duties of what today is a CNA. At that time, there was no certification through the program, but for the practical experience, Cindy spent time on each floor of a hospital and observed or helped as needed. “I did work later in a nursing home and became a CNA,” Cindy said.
Life took an interesting twist away from senior care for Cindy when she went to college. “I like helping people. I decided to go to Arizona to be a missionary, and I went to a Bible college and earned a Bachelor of Arts in missions and a minor in English. While the Bible college was based in Arizona, I taught English in first and second grade in a Mexico Christian school,” said Cindy, whose life took another turn when her mother needed help.
“I sold my home in Arizona and moved back to Michigan to take care of my mother. I didn’t want my mother to go to a nursing home. She died about 12 years ago, and my father died about seven years later,” Cindy said. “I’ve worked for several senior-care agencies.”
When queried about Home Instead, Cindy said: “My experience has been very positive, encouraging and uplifting. Home Instead tries hard to get hours for me, which I appreciate, so Home Instead is a good company. It’s nice to keep busy. It gets to be like a family. I am one of those people who prefers night shifts. I’ve worked nights for years, and my body is geared to it. This almost always means I am on a 24/7 caregiving team.”
Cindy added: “I’m going to work until I can’t move anymore. I enjoy it. I limit some things if I cannot do them to help the client. I used to be able to do most anything, but I use my good judgment to keep my clients and myself safe at all times.”
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.
