At Age 14, Sam Discovered She Wanted to Help Others
Samantha “Sam” Carpenter was 14 years old when she took her first caregiving shift. She gladly volunteered to be part of a family caregiver rotation for her great-grandmother, who had lived more than a thousand miles away in Georgia until she suffered burns on her legs and could no longer live by herself.
Sam explained, “After she suffered the injuries, we moved her to Texas with us. She was on hospice, and my family took turns taking care of her. Our care included making her coffee, giving showers, and, at the end, giving her morphine. During those moments, I thought, ‘No one should feel alone during his or her last days,’ because I knew my grandma felt so much love. Although I was 14, that’s when my mind was set on what my career path ought to be.”
Fast-forward to July 22, just two days before Sam’s 21st birthday. That’s when Sam was honored as CAREGiver of the Month at Home Instead® of Midland-Odessa, an award-winning franchise owned by Lorena and William Shensky. The prestigious Home Instead award, announced by Assistant Administrator and Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Imelda Hawkins, came less than eight months after Sam had joined Home Instead on Dec. 8, 2020.
“At first, I was working only part time because I had another job at a steakhouse as a server. I quickly realized senior care – Home Instead – is where my heart was, and I began working whenever I could,” Sam said. “I found Home Instead because I had known Imelda Hawkins as a friend long before I applied. Imelda and I previously had talked about the job. I knew this is what I wanted to do in life because I want to make a career out of helping people. So, when the opportunity arose, I knew I couldn’t turn it down.”
Sam added: “This is the first time I’ve had a job like this. I’ve been a sales representative, a server at restaurants, even a dog groomer one time. No matter what I’ve done, I’ve always put my all into the jobs I’ve had.”
Imelda pointed out Home Instead and its clients always have received Sam’s best efforts, even in the most challenging of situations. “Sam answered her calling last December to enrich the lives of our seniors by resourcefully displaying her knowledge, applying her experience, and demonstrating her creativity that is sometimes needed to deal with challenges during the everyday lives of her clients,” Imelda said.
“Her love for the people for whom she cares is documented in the feedback we get from the clients’ families. Sam is truly a very special addition to our team. Thank you, Sam, for all you do for our seniors. You are a true CAREGiver hero! July is a great month for Sam to be selected as CAREGiver of the Month because of her 21st birthday on July 24. How exciting for Sam for the two eventful days to coincide!”
Sam has accumulated many memories already as a Home Instead CAREGiver. For instance, Sam remembered when she received a call to cover a shift for a client whom she had not previously assisted. The client and her family were new to Home Instead. When Sam arrived, the client’s daughter was frantic. She didn’t know how to help her mom, who wouldn’t sleep. The client, who was restless, was recovering from an infection.
“So,” Sam recalled, “after about an hour, I asked the client, ‘Would you like a change of scenery, maybe go to the living room and watch TV in there?’ At first, she declined, but she eventually decided she wanted to go. So, we walked in the living room, and I got her comfortable. Ten minutes later, she was asleep. The daughter looked at me and said, ‘I’ve tried for a week to get her to sleep. Thank you.’ ”
Sam loves the phrases she hears from a regular client who has dementia and sometimes believes Sam is a cleaning lady or nurse or even a chauffeur who drives him to medical appointments. “Every morning, he asks me two things: ‘Do you want a cup of coffee?’ and ‘Do you want to read the newspaper?’ Then when I tell him ‘goodbye,’ he’s always said for the past six months, ‘Bye, bye now. Thank you for the day, OK?’ I just smile,” Sam said.
“What I like most about my job is that, even if I have a client for just a day, he or she was not alone that particular day. Whether he or she was sleeping, eating or watching TV, I was their companion. That makes my heart happy every day, that someone is simply not alone.
“While celebrating what Sam calls “a most unique birthday,” she said: “Being recognized as a CAREGiver of the Month is one of the best presents I’ve ever received. I love my job and my clients, and I feel rewarded by taking care of people who just need some tender loving care. Thank you, Home Instead, for this opportunity. It really has been the best time of my life.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (432) 689-4663 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
