Why choose us for home care in Iredell and Alexander County, NC?

More than three decades ago, Creighton Gibson's parents needed help to remain in their home. It was such an ordeal for Creighton and his wife Tracey that they decided to begin a career of service to seniors and their families in Iredell and Alexander Counties. Creighton, a successful manufacturing executive, and his wife had prayed intensely. As a result, Creighton left a lucrative career position and started a Home Instead ® franchise on Nov. 18, 2002, in Statesville, North Carolina. Tracey joined the franchise full-time on May 1, 2007. "I had worked for J.C. Steele and Sons, a machining manufacturer in Statesville, for 16 years. After years of health issues with my mother and father, Tracey and I took a big leap of faith and started Home Instead in the community we have always called home," Creighton explained. As part of his family caregiving journey before Home Instead, Creighton lost his 58-year-old mother, an amputee, to diabetes in 1992. "I'll never forget the evening when I went to Dad's home and couldn't find him until I searched outside the house. He had fallen in the garden and had been there all day. Two months later, he fell inside his home, didn't want to bother anyone and waited for hours for us to come check on him," Creighton said. "Dad moved in with us, and a year and a half later, he suffered a major stroke. He ended up in a nursing home, and it was not a great experience. I fed him every day for two years." When Creighton and Tracey teamed up as Home Instead co-owners, they tackled a new set of work-life challenges. "We became self-employed, independently owning and operating our Home Instead franchise. There are hurdles, but it is fulfilling," Creighton said. As a network, Home Instead, Inc., and its parent company, Honor, are the world's largest licensed senior home-care provider of companionship and personal-care services. There are 26 Home Instead offices in North Carolina and more than 1,100 franchises in 13 countries. Home Instead, Inc., and Honor have the world's most advanced care platform. Combined, the network has more than 100,000 Care Pros worldwide. Creighton noted his franchise's Care Pros are thoroughly screened during its vetting process. "We require references, and criminal background checks and driving-record checks are also performed. Further, our Care Pros are trained and insured. There is an orientation and initial training, and in-depth, ongoing training for various subjects is available. In some cases, it is required. As our employees, we pay the required employment taxes and workman's compensation insurance," Creighton said. "We introduce Care Pros to the clients for the first time to ensure the most peace of mind. This step makes the meeting as stress-free as possible." Creighton serves as a deacon in a leadership role at Bristol Baptist Church. He and Tracey are the parents of an adult daughter, Brittany, and they have two dogs and a cat. Creighton also helps take care of his mother-in-law Linda, who lives with him and his wife. Creighton may be reached by calling 704.924.9909 or by emailing [email protected] .

Tracey Gibson and her husband Creighton will never forget Nov. 18, 2002, when they started their award-winning Home Instead ® franchise in Statesville, North Carolina, which serves Iredell and Alexander Counties. Tracey joined the franchise operations full-time on May 1, 2007. As the years passed, their franchise added a welcome presence in Mooresville and Taylorsville as well as many other area towns. Tracey explained: "Creighton and I work with an administrative team of 13 people in our licensed home-care agency. Our professional leadership team prepares Care Professionals to provide our clients with safety assurance, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and transportation and errands. Our Care Pros offer personal assistance with eating, grooming, dressing, bathing, incontinence care, cognitive impairment, hospice support and mobility. By expertly doing so, they not only assist their clients, but help their families eliminate worry, reduce stress and re-establish personal freedom. Companionship also is a huge element of the care we provide." Tracey added: "We also speak to companies and organizations on topics related to aging adults and senior issues. Creighton and I have more than 50 years of combined non-profit management and leadership experience from previous roles in church leadership, Chamber of Commerce participation, home care for aging adults and other various leadership roles in the community." Tracey has earned several awards and held many positions of honor: Tracey holds a bachelor's degree in business from Gardner-Webb University and is working on her master's degree in seminary at Lenoir-Rhyne University. She has been married to Creighton for 37 years, and they have one daughter, Brittany, who attended Appalachian State University and majored in elementary education. "We enjoy many types of sports such as volleyball, camping, golf and hot air balloons. We take an interest in statewide politics," Tracey said. "My keys to success include tremendous family and business support; taking many leaps of faith; possessing the courage not to waver; having the humble ability to ask for help; and holding a passion to help others by being a resource to aging adults in our community. Tracey can be reached by calling (704) 495-3105 or by emailing [email protected] .

Hello! I have been with Home Instead since May of 2016. I have an extensive background in Health Care, gaining experience from many different environments ranging from Home Care, ALF, Alzheimer's Units, Geri psych and Correctional Facilities. My journey brought me back to Home Care because I am an avid believer in "aging in comfort". I have active involvement in our Alzheimer's association team "To Us It's Personal", the Statesville Leading Ladies Group through the Statesville Chamber of Commerce as well as serving on the board of the Greater Statesville Rotary Club as secretary. I am also a member of the Hearing Loss Association of America where I advocate for my daughter with hearing impairment. When I am not serving our senior community, I can always be found along side of those I love most, kayaking, fishing or cheering along the sidelines of a baseball, soccer or softball game. Heather can be reached by calling 704.924.9909 or by emailing [email protected] .

When Anne joined Home Instead® as the award-winning franchise's general manager May 8, 2023, she recalled her eagerness to tackle new challenges while maintaining the successes co-owners Tracey and Creighton Gibson had built since establishing the franchise in 2022. "It is my responsibility," Anne said, "to help guide each department and team member to meet their goals and prosper. We want them to feel good about what they do." Anne added: "Because of the franchise's success over the years, I knew some things would not change. We've continued to uphold the Home Instead® guiding principles of 'Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart' in every aspect of what we do for seniors and their families. Our consistency of success has continued. The Statesville Record & Landmark and Mooresville Tribune once again honored our franchise this year as the "Best of Iredell" winner for quality in-home professional senior care in the county. That is a tribute to everyone at our franchise." Anne took over her Home Instead role after spending the previous 34 years with Kelly Services as the district manager of the Statesville office. Before joining Home Instead, Anne had been a consistent model of leadership in the Statesville business community. Anne has an extensive knowledge of the staffing industry and Statesville. She has been active in the community - in Rotary (as a president), the Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Carolina Balloon Fest, the Iredell Human Resource Association-Society for Human Resource Management (IHRA-SHRM), March of Dimes and other organizations. Joining Home Instead was an appropriate fit for Anne in many different ways. She has a deep, personal understanding of senior care as a result of serving as the primary family caregiver for her late mother, 91-year-old Janice Lawing Thornton. "Mom had Alzheimer's and Parkinson's for about nine years before she passed away in March 2024," Anne said. Further sharing a personal look at her life, Anne said: "I have been a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Statesville since 1966. I have a wonderful daughter, Erin, and one grandson, Cooper. I am an avid animal lover, and the proud mom of a dog named Ollie." Anne can be reached by calling (704) 912-5927 or by emailing [email protected] .

Deborah's journey to Home Instead of Statesville was a long and winding one that culminated with her job as Director of Client Care - a career she calls a mission. In this role, Deborah performs a variety of duties including consulting with potential clients and family members, developing individualized care plans, introducing Care Professionals to clients, conducting regular quality assurance visits, documenting and updating care plans to ensure all aspects of client needs are meet. The Client Care Director promotes Home Instead services and develops strong relationships with health care providers and others in the community who support and advocate for older adults. She said, "It has been a mission that started at the age of 14 as a nurse's aide." Referring to the first steps of her illustrious nursing career, Deborah said: "I had the unique opportunity to witness a baby being born when I was 14. And, for the first time, I witnessed a dying patient during nursing school at 17." She later earned a diploma at the Barnes Hospital School of Nursing in St Louis, Missouri, in the last three-year class at the hospital-based school. "I joined the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps after a year of working at Barnes in neuro medicine. I met my husband and lived in Germany for six years, had two wonderful sons, Mark and Erik, and traveled to many parts of the world. I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at Valdosta State College in Georgia before going overseas," Deborah said. Deborah has had many unique nursing experiences. "I have worked in many settings, including medical surgical, pediatric, neuro medicine and Air Force Nurse Corps. I also was a Red Cross volunteer teacher at a hypertension clinic at an Air Force base overseas. In addition, I made medical assessments of children in a remote village called Chermaitre, Haiti, with the Vassar Haiti Project, in a home-care role," Deborah said. Deborah moved to New York and tried something different, applying for a nurse case manager's position at the Fishkill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Beacon, New York, later known as Elant Inc. "Little did I know," Deborah said, "that decision was going to greatly influence my career path for the next 26 years. The home-care field gave me the opportunity to use a wide variety of skills on a more of a one-to-one basis. I have worked as a nurse case manager, clinical coordinator and director of a long-term home health care program." From New York, Deborah's next adventure was landing in North Carolina. "When people ask why I moved to Statesville, I tell them I moved to be closer to my son and friends who also moved here. I now have had the distinct honor and pleasure of having worked for the past eight years with a great staff at Home Instead in Statesville," Deborah said. "If you ask me why I chose Home Instead, I will tell you I was impressed with the focus of this agency from the very beginning. 'To us, it's personal,' and that is exactly the way I see my chosen career path, nursing as a mission." Deborah may be reached by calling (704) 929-5114 or via email at [email protected] .

Before Ann joined Home Instead® of Statesville, she had worked at many other kinds of jobs. She believes she has struck gold with Home Instead. She said, "Helping people is what I love to do most of all. I treat every client with kindness and respect as if they were my family. I love what I do and enjoy every minute I get to be with a client." Ann has been with Home Instead since Nov. 21, 2023, as a Care Professional. Ann's top-notch work was quickly noticed and rewarded March 26, 2024, when she was promoted to a Lead Care Professional position for the franchise's north and west areas. "It's my job to introduce our Care Pros, including the recent hires, to their new clients. I show the Care Pros around the clients' homes and inform them of the clients' needs. I make certain they have all the tools they need to care for their clients. I follow up with the Care Pros to see that things are going well with their clients. I also check with the Care Pros on their service hours and see if they have any new needs." A former CNA, Ann plans to return to school in fall 2024 to regain her certification. She has worked in nursing homes as a CNA, a housekeeper and a laundry tech. "I also have worked in restaurants, some family-owned, and in a few factories throughout my life, but senior care is my love," Ann said. On a personal note, Ann said: "I am married to a wonderful man. I have three children and three grandchildren. They make my life better with every smile. I also have three dogs and three cats." Ann is available by phone at (704) 924-9909, ext.148 or by email at [email protected] .

Valerie is far more than a registered nurse. Her journey to help others led her to earn a Doctor of Natural Health Degree, along with certifications in Natural Health, Herbalism, Nutritional Therapy, Nutritional Endocrinology and Expert Wellness Coaching. "I have a passion for educating and empowering people to optimize their health in all dimensions: spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically," Valerie said. So, how did Valerie come to join Home Instead® of Statesville? "That's a great question! While building my education wellness coaching practice, my Home Instead position as Client Care Coordinator offers me the opportunity to have flexible hours, share in the clients' rich life stories and collaborate with an amazing team," Valerie said. As the Client Care Coordinator, Valerie manages the client and family relationships while also working on franchise service opportunities. Her responsibilities include care consultations with potential clients and family members, Client-Care Professional introductions and quality assurance visits with existing clients. Valerie uses the consultative approach to determine each client's needs and provide solutions and create a tailored service plan. Those plans are continuously evaluated through a series of ongoing communications and visits to ensure high-quality care, client satisfaction and retention. Valerie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from UNC-Charlotte. Her journey into natural health began in 2000, when Valerie sought to address some health challenges she had faced since infancy. In 2016, she transitioned from her role as an educator and eLearning specialist in an acute hospital setting to fully dedicate herself to the natural health and wellness field. "Before joining Home Instead," Valerie explained, "I worked as a true cellular detox nutrition coach in a functional nutrition clinic." Outside of her professional life, Valerie enjoys riding go-karts, playing laser tag, mowing her lawn with her zero-turn mower and tending to her raised-bed gardens. "Most of all," Valerie said, "I love spending quality time with my family." Valerie may be reached at (704) 437-1118 or by emailing [email protected] .

Candice is on a mission to help her award-winning Home Instead® franchise build its team of Care Professionals in Iredell and Alexander Counties. "My goal as a recruitment coordinator is to hire Care Pros who believe in Home Instead's core values and who would be good Home Instead assets while assisting our clients," Candice said. Home Instead's core values are: "Treat each other with dignity and respect, encourage growth in ourselves and others, and continually build value in our service to others." In addition, Home Instead's guiding principles of "Build trust, take the lead and share your heart." Candice also pointed out: "Home Instead's mission is to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families, and to pioneer greater professionalism within care work. That's why we've created a care experience that's based on human touch, transparency and compassion." Candice joined Home Instead in August 2018 as a Care Professional, and she was honored as the franchise's Care Pro of the Month in April 2020. In addition to serving on the front lines, Candice also served as a Lead Care Pro and On-Call Coordinator before becoming the Recruitment Coordinator for the franchise's south territory. "Before coming to Home Instead," Candice said, "I was a restaurant shift leader for 11 years. I was new to home care when I found Home Instead. Before joining this company, I desired a more rewarding job that gives back to the community, and Home Instead has been the perfect fit." An Iredell County native, Candice grew up in Harmony, North Carolina. "I enjoy the simple things in life, including country living. I have no children, but I am a proud 'auntie' of my 4-year-old nephew Jaxon with whom I enjoy visiting and vacationing in Florida, and various other places," Candice said. "When I'm not working, I love thrifting - one of my favorites is Goodwill. Also, at the top of my list of loves is spending time with family. I am an enthusiastic lover of people as well as God." Candice can be reached at (704) 924-9909 or by emailing [email protected] .