Honoree Jalah Followed Her Heart to Senior Care
Jalah Penn, a family caregiver at age 11, has always been one of those compassionate, empathetic people who is willing to help anyone in need. So, it was no surprise when she was honored as the November Care Professional of the Month at Home Instead® of Philadelphia, an award-winning franchise owned by Steve Levin.
Jalah, who began helping her great-grandmother before she reached sixth grade, explained: “I’ve had a heart for caregiving for a long time.” Family members knew years ago that Jalah was destined to be a professional caregiving star. Even now, she’s pulling double duty. “I am available to help my grandmother when I am not working with my Home Instead clients. Things are not as easy for my grandmother as they were when she was younger,” she said.
Jalah was a certified Home Health Aide before she joined Home Instead in June 2023. Jalah had noticed Home Instead on social media posts and decided to investigate. “I read the online reviews about Home Instead and saw people had been recommending them,” Jalah recalled.
When she interviewed with Home Instead General Manager Charlea Lyn Grieco, Jalah felt a connection. “Charlea made me feel comfortable and relaxed. I knew after the job interview with Charlea that Home Instead was the best place for me,” Jalah said.
“I’ve been in this line of work for four or five years and had worked for two other home health agencies. I think the Home Instead staff is great at communicating and calls back quickly if I have questions. I have no issues with them or clients. I appreciate the hours they give me and their scheduling flexibility. What I like most about my job is being able to help people. If they are sad, I want to brighten their day.”
Service Manager Janelle Muhlanga said Jalah achieved Care Pro of the Month status by going above and beyond the call of duty. Empathy and compassion also are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations. Jalah embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
Jalah’s two regular clients trust her, having felt the warmth of her heart while depending on her assistance. “Both have memory problems, but they know me. My lady, in her 70s, remembers my name. The gentleman, in his 90s, remembers my face. I am the only Care Pro for both clients,” Jalah said.
“My morning client resides in a senior-living building. I began assisting her a few days after I started with Home Instead. There are activities for her and other residents in her building. She gets nervous about doing the activities by herself, so I go with her for everything she does. She enjoys yoga and going for walks, among other things. The client’s daughter communicates with me, and I keep her updated.”
Jalah’s afternoon client resides in his home, and she has been helping him since July. “He likes old movies, the classic westerns. I can get him to do some games. To help keep him active and give him a feeling of independence, I invite him to help me with a few things that are safe and easy for him to do. For instance, he can move laundry from the washer to the dryer. I don’t have him do anything where he has to bend over,” Jalah said. “While I make lunch for him, I also make meals for him that we can store for the weekends and at night. He’s easy to cook for. The client has a nephew who looks in on him, and the nephew communicates really well.”
Jalah said she loves working for Home Instead, offering: “They are one of the best employers I’ve had.” Her franchise is a member of a network comprised of Home Instead, Inc. and its parent company, Honor. With the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform, Honor and Home Instead are revolutionizing care for older adults, their families and Care Pros. Combined, the network has more than 100,000 Care Pros across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (215) 925-4610 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
