Among those tender-hearted souls who have taken care of elderly family members over time, Sade Akinlami's depth of compassion might be unequaled. Arriving in the U.S. with many years of family caregiving experience, it's not surprising Sade was an immediate success with Home Instead Senior Care®.
Sade was honored as a CAREGiver of the Quarter just four months after joining the award-winning Home Instead franchise owned by Mechelle and David Minter that serves central Houston, including Bellaire, The Heights, Medical Center, River Oaks and West University.
Sade (pronounced SHAW-day) helped her grandmother for 20 years in her native Nigeria. Not only that, but Sade also assisted her mother in recent years after an affliction. "My mother is feeling better. Taking care of her is what prompted me to become a professional senior-care specialist," Sade explained. "I am happy to say my grandmother is still alive at age 101 and is still active. She lives with my mother."
Sade pointed out: "In my native country of Nigeria, there is basically no professional in-home care. The families help the elderly, which is part of our culture. I knew the basics of home care from my family caregiving in Nigeria. With my job at Home Instead Senior Care, I can also call them 'grandparent.' I find that doing this job is good for me."
Sade joined Home Instead Senior Care in March 2020 after a friend told her about the company. "My friend works as a Home Instead CAREGiver. I already had been working in home care.
But I wanted to work closer to home, and Home Instead gave me that opportunity," Sade said. "Home Instead has good people, and my experience with them so far has been great. They are flexible. The clients need your attention, and they are mostly good. There are some challenges, and you need to keep your patience. I am very patient with them. I find that doing this job is good for me."
A new serious health challenge – the COVID-19 virus pandemic – began to besiege the United States about the time Sade became a Home Instead CAREGiver. "This virus really is something highly unusual. Basically, everyone is trying to be careful," said Sade, who noted that Home Instead helps with up-to-date training, protocol and personal protective equipment (PPE).
"It is fair to say some seniors are stressed, even scared by COVID-19. A client with dementia does not know about COVID-19 and wondered about my mask. It is challenging to explain. When she sees me with the mask, she does not know why or even sometimes who I am. She is afraid because of the mask. I explain that it protects her and me. The sincere explanation helps her to understand."
Both of Sade's regular clients have dementia. "They are good people. One client, who is on hospice, is very quiet. She receives 24/7 care, is confined to bed and is very weak. I've been helping her for more than a month. Once, when I was leaving, she said it might be the last time I see her. I told her I hoped not," Sade said.
Sade has another client who frequently talks to her and wants to get to know Sade. "I love the fact that she has taken an interest in my life," Sade said.
The client, a 96-year-old widow, also has a friend who calls much of the time. "They traveled together. My client cries when they are talking and old memories come back to her. That can be quite an occasion because it is otherwise hard for her to remember things. I pray for her a lot. I feel her even in my house, and I pray for her there," Sade said.
Sade moved to America three years ago when she was married. "The U.S. was my dream country. I am seeing different aspects to American life I did not anticipate. We in America have some problems to solve as far as living in unity. My belief is that people were created by God to live together all as one and take care of each other. All of us need to show love and kindness to each other. Of course, that is what we do as CAREGivers. I just wish it was practiced all the time by everyone," she said.
All Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 403-2273 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead Senior Care, visit our website. Our Home Instead Senior Care office at 2656 South Loop West Freeway Suite 565 in Houston (77054) serves central Houston, including Bellaire, The Heights, Medical Center, River Oaks and West University.
Sade was honored as a CAREGiver of the Quarter just four months after joining the award-winning Home Instead franchise owned by Mechelle and David Minter that serves central Houston, including Bellaire, The Heights, Medical Center, River Oaks and West University.
Sade (pronounced SHAW-day) helped her grandmother for 20 years in her native Nigeria. Not only that, but Sade also assisted her mother in recent years after an affliction. "My mother is feeling better. Taking care of her is what prompted me to become a professional senior-care specialist," Sade explained. "I am happy to say my grandmother is still alive at age 101 and is still active. She lives with my mother."
Sade pointed out: "In my native country of Nigeria, there is basically no professional in-home care. The families help the elderly, which is part of our culture. I knew the basics of home care from my family caregiving in Nigeria. With my job at Home Instead Senior Care, I can also call them 'grandparent.' I find that doing this job is good for me."
Sade joined Home Instead Senior Care in March 2020 after a friend told her about the company. "My friend works as a Home Instead CAREGiver. I already had been working in home care.
But I wanted to work closer to home, and Home Instead gave me that opportunity," Sade said. "Home Instead has good people, and my experience with them so far has been great. They are flexible. The clients need your attention, and they are mostly good. There are some challenges, and you need to keep your patience. I am very patient with them. I find that doing this job is good for me."
A new serious health challenge – the COVID-19 virus pandemic – began to besiege the United States about the time Sade became a Home Instead CAREGiver. "This virus really is something highly unusual. Basically, everyone is trying to be careful," said Sade, who noted that Home Instead helps with up-to-date training, protocol and personal protective equipment (PPE).
"It is fair to say some seniors are stressed, even scared by COVID-19. A client with dementia does not know about COVID-19 and wondered about my mask. It is challenging to explain. When she sees me with the mask, she does not know why or even sometimes who I am. She is afraid because of the mask. I explain that it protects her and me. The sincere explanation helps her to understand."
Both of Sade's regular clients have dementia. "They are good people. One client, who is on hospice, is very quiet. She receives 24/7 care, is confined to bed and is very weak. I've been helping her for more than a month. Once, when I was leaving, she said it might be the last time I see her. I told her I hoped not," Sade said.
Sade has another client who frequently talks to her and wants to get to know Sade. "I love the fact that she has taken an interest in my life," Sade said.
The client, a 96-year-old widow, also has a friend who calls much of the time. "They traveled together. My client cries when they are talking and old memories come back to her. That can be quite an occasion because it is otherwise hard for her to remember things. I pray for her a lot. I feel her even in my house, and I pray for her there," Sade said.
Sade moved to America three years ago when she was married. "The U.S. was my dream country. I am seeing different aspects to American life I did not anticipate. We in America have some problems to solve as far as living in unity. My belief is that people were created by God to live together all as one and take care of each other. All of us need to show love and kindness to each other. Of course, that is what we do as CAREGivers. I just wish it was practiced all the time by everyone," she said.
All Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 403-2273 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead Senior Care, visit our website. Our Home Instead Senior Care office at 2656 South Loop West Freeway Suite 565 in Houston (77054) serves central Houston, including Bellaire, The Heights, Medical Center, River Oaks and West University.
