Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Maryann Munday truly had been grafted into her late client’s family. Holding Maryann in such high regard, the family asked Maryann to attend her client’s viewing and funeral – and they also asked Maryann to speak at their senior loved one’s service. “Ms. F.’s family took me in as if I were one of their own,” Maryann said.
The 87-year-old widow, who lived in the Charles Town, West Virginia, area, was one of Maryann’s favorites during her three years with Home Instead of Martinsburg, an award-winning franchise that serves West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. “I had the pleasure of helping her every Thursday and every other Saturday,” Maryann explained.
Maryann’s client loved the city’s racetrack and casino, and would be prepared and eager to go there even before Maryann arrived. Maryann recalled: “She’d wait until we were in the car to tell me how much she’d taken – usually about $100 – and that’d be her limit. Ms. F. would try the same slot machine twice, and if she didn’t win anything, she’d say, ‘Next machine, please.’ If she lost money, no worries for her – ‘There was always the next time,’ she’d say. When she came away with winnings, she had me put it away when we got home. ‘No spending it,’ she’d say. I could not help but laugh every time. She was hilarious. I loved her like my grandmother.”
Sadly, the client became ill in early November and passed away before Valentine’s Day. “Her passing broke my heart. She was a fun person who knew how to have fun,” Maryann said. “She has left many lasting memories for me. Whenever I save up $100 for a trip to the casino/track, I play Ms. F.’s favorite machines/games. I miss her so much!”
Maryann didn’t have any idea how fulfilling her Care Professional job would be when she joined Home Instead. “A church friend told me about Home Instead because I wanted a second income. Home Instead is flexible with its hours, and you pick up as many clients as you wish. I love the Home Instead clients. They make you feel as if you are part of their family,” Maryann said.
Maryann has been in the medical and caregiving field since she was 15 years old. “Now I am almost 60, and I am still going strong. I work two jobs. My other job is with a health and wellness center in Northern Virginia. I also have been a phlebotomy technician for 20 years and a Certified Clerical Medical Assistant (CCMA) for a year and a half. I love and breathe the medical field. It is where I belong, a godsend,” Maryann said.
“As for explaining my entry into the field when I was younger, I started at a nursing home. I was caring for my residents by assisting with bathing, dressing, meals and medication management. I also worked at a secured memory-care unit for those with dementia, which was a very challenging group of residents. If you can manage in that kind of situation, you can probably handle anything else that comes your way.”
Maryann also worked at hospitals, where she handled personal care. She was always known for having a basket filled with hygiene items, including shampoo, shaving cream, cologne, perfume and other things. The patients’ families always knew Maryann worked that day because everyone looked clean and were dressed as if they were going to a party.
Maryann’s compassionate, empathetic heart immediately caught the attention of the Home Instead staff. Allyson Starling, who is a manager for the Winchester and Martinsburg Home Instead franchises, announced in July that Maryann had been honored as a Care Professional of the Month, the highest monthly award that an employee can earn.
The job has been a great fit for Maryann. “I like the convenience and flexibility of the hours, the franchise’s professionalism and most of all, the clients,” Maryann said.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (304) 263-4472 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead services, visit our website.
