The 3-hour, 15-minute trip to Oklahoma City was a first to the Sooner State for Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Josephine Stone, who drove the client and his wife during a one-day, 210-mile excursion to a casino. For Josephine’s client, an Oklahoma native, the sentimental trip to Oklahoma was his last. He was battling Parkinson’s disease.
“The timing was right. With respect to Parkinson’s, things got worse for him after that. He and his wife used to go to Oklahoma a lot when he was healthy. He had a deep and emotional connection to the casino because it was owned by Native Americans, and he was a Native American. On the day of the trip, we left early, and the weather was pleasant. It was a wonderful, memorable day full of fun and great meals,” said Josephine, who began assisting the client about two weeks after she joined Home Instead® of Collin County more than four years ago.
“In general,” Josephine said, “he wanted to remain active every day when I was there. I was with them during the five weekdays. There were many memories with them. I speak French fluently, and I was teaching the husband some French. He loved the language.”
Sadly, the client died 2½ years ago, and his wife wanted Josephine to be her Care Pro. “I did so until recently. In May, the client had a reaction to a vaccination, and her health became challenging. She has a son in Austin, Texas, and she moved there. She was reluctant to move, and I can understand. I miss her,” Josephine said.
When asked about other client memories, Josephine noted:
- “One of my favorite stories was the surprise birthday party that my client wife and I planned for her husband. He was so happy and couldn’t stop thanking me every day.”
- “Another was when my daughter gave birth, my client surprised me with a basket full of gifts. I can never forget those moments.”
- “While making a difference in someone’s life, I love building cherished memories, building their skills and learning something new from the clients’ family members.”
Josephine was not new to senior care because she had served as a family caregiver for her father.
“Before I thought about becoming a professional caregiver, I took care of my dad back home in Africa. After he underwent prostate cancer surgery, I became his caregiver. He was in his 80s. I was feeding him, bathing him, dressing him and transferring him from bed to wheelchair. I made sure he took his medication on time. That was more than five years ago, before I joined Home Instead. Unfortunately, after two years of treatment for prostate cancer and battling the disease, he passed away. That motivated me to become a professional caregiver,” said Josephine, who found Home Instead during an online search.
When franchise owner Todd Felker announced Josephine had been honored as his Plano office’s Care Pro of the Month, he said: “Josephine is headed toward her fifth successful year with Home Instead. She is very passionate about her clients and has always been their greatest advocate. Her clients always know they are going to get the best of care with her as their Care Pro. She will stand up and speak for them when they cannot.”
Kelly Spawn, Josephine’s scheduling coordinator said, “Her clients speak well of her professionalism and how well she dresses for their visits. They mention the fact that she has the most beautiful heart. If a client’s shift needs to be adjusted, she adjusts to fit whatever needs to be done. Josephine embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ She has been a joy to work with from the first day she joined our family to today.”
Josephine pointed out that helping seniors on behalf of Home Instead is truly a passion, adding: “I am passionate about working with the elderly or disabled population and want to help improve the life of people who need care by offering them companionship and applying my skills.”
Todd noted he and the Home Instead staff learned quickly about Josephine’s uncommon patience, dependability and confidence.
She said: “It is very important for a Care Pro to be patient when dealing with the elderly. You also must be dependable. When the well-being of a senior depends on you, you absolutely need to be there. You must be confident. From that quality springs attentiveness, a supportive attitude, compassion and creativity when dealing with challenges.”
When asked what her future holds, Josephine replied: “Home Instead. I love Home Instead. The office staff are like family to me.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (972) 744-9898 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
