Caregiving Always Has Been a Part of April’s Life
As far back as April Wheeler can remember, she always has wanted to take care of people. “My aunt lost her son when I was 13, and all I wanted to do was make sure she was OK. I am always concerned for others, and I always have helped my loved ones if they needed help,” said April, who joined Home Instead® of Midland-Odessa on Aug. 2, 2022, and has been selected as the franchise’s Care Professional of the Month for February.
April’s family caregiving days have been many. Her late mother had battled health challenges since April was born, and her late father was diabetic. April remembers pensively stirring in a hospital emergency room as a young child while her mom was waiting to see a doctor. “That’s where my dad’s blood-sugar level got low. I made sure he got a candy bar to bring his blood-sugar level up,” April said.
When April’s mother was diagnosed with lupus, April was always there to take care of her even when April was working full time as a special-needs community life instructor. April would find someone to cover her shift so she could tend to her mother. “I took care of her until her death in 2006,” April said. “Dad’s health started to fail about nine years after Mom passed away.”
As her father’s kidney function declined, his muscles weakened and he fell more often. “He was a dialysis candidate, but he decided not to do it. I wanted to be a registered nurse, and a year into my nursing school classwork, his condition worsened. He went on hospice, and I took care of him until he passed. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. He didn’t want any help, and he fought until the end. All I wanted was for him to let me comfort him. At the end, we did say our goodbyes. I have no regrets because I did what I had to do.”
Just before April joined Home Instead, she helped her uncle take care of his mom. There were more family-caregiving requests for the future. “My cousins have asked if I could help them take care of their parents if they get ill. I always reply, ‘Sure, I would love to,’ ” April said.
April’s journey to Home Instead in 2022 was quite a story. “I quit a longtime job after working for three special-needs clients whom I helped for a lot of years. One client was combative, and nothing seemed to get better, so I left in July 2022. I felt a bit burned out because of all of the challenges. I had done this kind of work for more than 28 years after becoming a CNA,” April said. “After I quit last summer, I ended up working in fast food, but I went to ZipRecruiter.com, and they suggested some caregiving jobs. I saw a few possibilities, but none interested me. Actually, I was scared to do professional caregiving again.”
April had been working for about a week at her fast-food restaurant when she had a bad day. “On that day, I happened to look at my phone, and there was a text message from the Home Instead hiring supervisor. They were interested in hiring me if I’d interview. I said, ‘Sure,’ and got an interview that afternoon. I’d never heard of Home Instead. I don’t even know how she got my
phone number, so I assumed I had accidently applied online. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was hired,” April explained.
“After my orientation at Home Instead, I quit my other job. This Home Instead job has been so rewarding, and I truly believe this job was a godsend. I have felt even more so after I had been with so many clients who have truly touched my heart,” said April, who had started working as a CNA in 1994 when she was 19.
“I love being one-on-one with the client, helping them do their everyday things. I like being a companion, really getting to know about their families, knowing their likes and dislikes and making their lives easier. I also like to reassure them that they’ll be safe in my care. In addition, I like giving their families a peace of mind. I also love how Home Instead takes care of its employees. I have never experienced anything like this. I never really felt appreciated at my other jobs except from the clients’ parents,” April said.
In her short time as a Care Pro, April’s favorite story concerns her 94-year-old female client, who at first appeared to reject April’s assistance. The client has dementia, and she didn’t want anyone but her family taking care of her. April said: “Her son was showing me how to take her to the bathroom when she made such a fit. But when the ordeal was over, she started talking positively about her family and stopped being irritated.”
April added: “Eventually, we had so much fun talking about her family, and we always play Skip-Bo, a card game. She even tried to cheat, which was so cute. I admit we’ve had some tough moments, but I would redirect her, and she would resume talking about her family and began remembering who I was. She is the sweetest lady. I love hearing her stories, and she is a very sweet woman when she recognizes me.”
Imelda Hawkins, Home Instead’s human resources director, assistant administrator and recruitment and engagement coordinator, said: “April is relatively new to our team but has hit the road running, literally. April has been a superb addition to our team because she cares for our out-of-town clients. April sometimes drives an hour one way and more frequently about 45 minutes to make sure her clients get the care they need. We’re blessed to have April on our team!”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (432) 689-4663 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
