Home Instead Honors Lucy for Third Time
CAREGiver Lucy Rangel’s consistently excellent senior care is virtually unmatched. Her Home Instead® staff has honored her three times since she joined Home Instead of Lubbock on July 15, 2010. Lucy’s most recent CAREGiver of the Month award was presented in March 2022.
“Lucy is still the same CAREGiver she has always been. We never have to worry about her because she is dedicated to a fault. Lucy is one of those ‘set-it-and-forget-it CAREGivers,’ but we certainly don’t take her for granted. She takes great care of our clients, and every client just loves her,” Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Juanita Camacho said.
Most recently, Lucy dealt with the death of a three-year client and then continued the care of the late client’s husband. The 66-year-old client had faced a number of health challenges before 2021, and her death Jan. 21, 2022, was crushing.
“Since she had had no hospital stays in 2021, the year was so good and we were so proud. Her birthday was Dec. 21, and then she caught COVID-19 in early January. She was on a good health track before COVID-19 struck and was trying to stay healthy by remaining on her diet. She was proud of herself,” Lucy said. “I told her two daughters I loved and missed her. The husband talks about her and how much he misses her. The couple was married for more than 40 years.”
Lucy is the 70-year-old widower’s only CAREGiver, assisting him Monday through Friday. “He’s independent and pretty much gets around on his own. I help with his three dogs,” Lucy said. “It is a quieter home because it was very lively with his wife, who had us laughing. She had her craft room upstairs, where she had a sewing machine and worked on quilts. She also loved adult coloring books. If she was quiet, she was coloring or listening to audio books.”
Her current client underwent knee surgery in April 2021. He needed a walker at first, progressed to a cane and now walks unaided. Lucy consulted with the client’s physical therapist to learn how to help him. “I helped him do stretches and changed the bandages after surgery,” Lucy said. “He has bounced back and works half days, helping a small business with organizational issues. He also stays active and goes to the gym twice a week. We’ve been cleaning out two storage units. His dogs keep us busy, and I actually do medication reminders for the two older dogs.”
While singing her praises of Lucy from Home Instead’s perspective, Juanita also pointed out how Lucy has handled personal challenges. “Lucy has overcome many obstacles in her own life, but she never slowed down or stopped caring for our clients. She is simply amazing. Lucy is one superwoman of a lady who, with grace and dignity, handles all that life brings her,” Juanita said.
“Lucy is honest, hardworking, trustworthy, kind, personable and fun to be around. She builds great relationships with our clients, their families, her co-workers, our staff and medical professionals. We are truly blessed and honored to have Lucy on our team.”
Lucy explained: “My husband and I lost our 9-year-old daughter when she passed away before COVID-19. It has been a difficult transition for us.” In addition, Lucy’s husband has been on dialysis for four years. He now is doing at-home dialysis five times a week. Lucy helps her husband with the three-hour dialysis sessions and has received compliments from his doctor.
While looking to the future, Lucy is considering dialysis work, especially since her husband’s doctor thought Lucy would do well if she chose that path. Of all his doctor’s patients, Lucy’s husband handles the in-home dialysis best. He listens, sticks to the routine and receives Lucy’s help. “We’ve been doing home dialysis for over a year. His nurse gave us excellent training for a month and watched us for weeks. A sterile setting is a must,” Lucy said. “I’ve been doing caregiving for so long, and it’s something I love, but it’s good to have options. Through my husband’s challenge, I’ve learned another skill.”
Lucy is a member of a highly rated organization. For the third time, Home Instead was honored with a Caring Super Star for its home-care service excellence in consumer ratings and Caring.com reviews. Home Instead is the only home-care agency in Lubbock County to be recognized as a 2021 Caring Super Star. “Caregiving is simply doing things to enhance the quality of life for older adults and help keep them independent for as long as possible,” franchise co-owner Tracy Baugh said. “We like to say it takes a special person to become a Home Instead CAREGiver, not a special degree. It can be a rewarding career for individuals from every walk of life and age group.”
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.
