Michelle’s Caregiving Journey Began at Age 10
As a fourth-grader, Michelle Gonzalez knew her grandmother needed help, and Michelle didn’t hesitate. “That was my first caregiving experience – at the age of 10 – when I cared for my grandma after she was in a car accident. I helped her with daily tasks that she wasn’t able to do by herself,” Michelle recalled.
Michelle hasn’t stopped helping family members. “My most recent family caregiving experience was with my mom. She was in an accident, and I helped care for her until she was able to care for herself,” said Michelle, now a CAREGiver for Home Instead® of Lubbock.
Michelle joined the award-winning Home Instead franchise owned by Tracy and Terry Baugh last spring, about the same time COVID-19 began to profoundly impact the United States. “I found Home Instead during the pandemic of 2020. I have always enjoyed working with the elderly,” said Michelle, who has been in the medical or caregiving realm for about seven years.
On April 30, Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Juanita Camacho announced Michelle had been honored as the Home Instead franchise’s May CAREGiver of the Month. “Michelle is a former CNA and has been a caregiver for many years. As she mentioned, Michelle cared for her grandmother and other family members. Anyone who visits with Michelle will easily see she’s full of life,” Juanita said.
Focusing on Home Instead’s training, processes and procedures of successful caregiving helped Michelle achieve CAREGiver of the Month status, but she also has the soul of a CAREGiver. “Michelle has a kind and caring heart,” Juanita pointed out, “and Michelle gives of her time without expectation.”
Juanita added: “Michelle has a positive attitude and is willing to challenge herself to meet the needs of our clients. Michelle is someone who the office staff members can count on for short-notice assignments because she is always willing to help our aging adults. When Michelle comes by our Home Instead office, she’s always happy, and her smile is contagious. Michelle is a humble person, unaware that she’s an unsung hero.”
Home Instead’s internationally acclaimed method of senior care appeals to Michelle. “What I love most about my job at Home Instead is the one-on-one interaction I get with my clients. This type of interaction helps me meet my clients’ every need,” Michelle said.
Michelle is a member of a highly rated organization. For the third time, Home Instead recently 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.”
To Michelle, a grinning client is a huge reward.
“One of my favorite Home Instead stories is when I would arrive at one client’s house, he would be waiting for me while smiling from ear to ear and waving with excitement to see me. The smiles I get from clients are enough and make my job that much better,” Michelle said.
Michelle is among more than 90,000 CAREGivers worldwide, and she has helped add to those numbers because of her strong belief in Home Instead’s purpose. It isn’t hard to see Michelle lives the Home Instead® principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
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.
