Silvia Is Inspired by a Client Who Never Gave Up
The 82-year-old Home Instead® client, who was paralyzed on one side, made a lifelong impression on CAREGiver of the Month Silvia Montoya. “She was an encouragement by her example of never giving up. She tried so hard to regain her mobility. That helped me develop a strong attitude of not giving up in my own life when hard stuff comes,” recalled Silvia, who helped the client for seven months before she passed away unexpectedly.
Silvia remembered how the client had bonded quickly with her and exuded a positive attitude despite her circumstance. “She’d light up when I came in. We had a morning routine. After breakfast, I would take her for a walk in her wheelchair on the care community grounds, when we would have nice conversations,” Silvia said.
She added: The client was an inspiration because she had such a strong will. She always exercised and tried to walk again. She forced herself to try every day, and I was a standby assist. She worked her way into taking a few steps at a time with a walker or cane. She would get tired trying, and then she’d rest and try again. She wanted to keep going. She had a goal of walking from one side of the room to another. It’s hard to not get attached to your clients. I really get close to them, helping them and caring for them. You need to create a bond and build a trust.”
Silvia has felt comfortable with senior-care situations since she was 10 years old, when she watched as her mother served as a private-duty caregiver.
“I was interested in what my mother did and how she did it. She did that for four or five years. As a young girl, I also watched as Mom helped with elderly church members. I got involved by helping one of the church members who had Parkinson’s. I would feed her and help her to the bathroom. As a 10-year-old, I enjoyed doing it. It made me feel really good,” Silvia said.
Serving as a family caregiver, Silvia said: “I helped Grandma for a while. I kept my eye on her as a teenager. I am helping my mother now as much as I can. She lives outside of Lubbock. Sometimes she comes to stay with me.”
In August 2020, Silvia joined the award-winning Home Instead franchise owned by Tracy and Terry Baugh after working as a preschool teacher for 3½ years. “I just want to help people. That’s always been my aim in life. I love working with children and seniors. It’s something I’ve always loved to do,” said Silvia, who had taken classes for both an education career and a medical career (radiology technician).
“I wanted to be a grade school teacher, and I have my certification for early childhood education. Since COVID-19 hit, I figured I’d make a bigger difference in the world by entering the medical-caregiving field. In fact, in addition to working for Home Instead, I am taking CNA classes. With the COVID-19 threat, I wanted to get into a one-on-one caregiving job where the possibility of infection was diminished, and I found that situation with Home Instead,” Silvia said.
She saw Home Instead on a Facebook advertisement and was drawn to it. “I heard people were needed for senior-care jobs because there was a shortage of workers. I thought, ‘Why not me?’ So, I made myself available to help others – in this case, seniors,” Silvia said.
“I have avoided COVID-19. Wearing a mask is a key, and I followed the protocols in place and used the PPE. Everything has really helped. I enjoy working for Home Instead. I really love the seniors’ stories. I also want to point out I love the Home Instead ladies for whom I work. They’re always communicating with me and showing they truly care about their employees. The Home Instead office staff goes above and beyond for its clients and employees.”
Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Juanita Camacho said, “Silvia is a quiet, humble person who focuses on providing quality care. Silvia has a beautiful, gentle smile, and she quickly gains our clients’ trust. They feel safe and at ease with Silvia, who has a positive attitude and is ready to help no matter what. By being so attentive to our clients, she achieves her goal of meeting our clients’ most urgent needs. Silvia communicates well with the clients, their families and with our office. She makes sure the office is aware of any changes in clients’ conditions, whether it is physical, mental or spiritual.”
As Silvia looks to the future, she sees even more opportunities to help others, possibly as a registered nurse. “I’d love to help seniors and others as a nurse. While I am going to school now to be a CNA, I want to go on and earn my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). That’s my goal. I really enjoy helping people. I want to make a difference.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (806) 281-4663 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
