Hospice Worker Encouraged Tina to Try Caregiving
More than 20 years ago, Tina Combs’ mother entered hospice care during the final stages of her battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. While Tina already had been compassionately tending to her mother, Tina received assistance and then something totally unexpected developed from the circumstances. A hospice aide had seen Tina lovingly and skillfully working with her mother, and she was impressed. She approached Tina about possibly working with a client with whom the hospice aide had served.
Tina replied, “I don’t think I could ever do a job like that.”
The hospice aide said, “I’ve watched you with your mom, and I know you can.”
Tina recalled the life-changing chain of events, describing the first step: “So, I met a precious little lady and 20-plus years later, I’m blessed to say I’m still a caregiving professional.” Tina, providing additional background, added: “I had never thought about this type of work until my mother got sick and fought COPD for several years before passing. When Dad needed help with Mom because her breathing had gotten so bad, I quit my job of seven years to help him.”
Fast-forward to early 2021: Tina was employed with an in-home care agency but had been laid off for several months because COVID-19 affected the volume of work. “I wanted to return to work. A friend spoke of Home Instead® of Mount Airy, but I didn’t know much about the agency. I filled out an application, was contacted immediately and an interview was set up. Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Anne Collins met with me, and I explained I had done professional caregiving for 20-plus years,” said Tina, who began with Home Instead on April 22.
The move was a good one for Tina and the award-winning Home Instead franchise. Staff Coordinator Sharon Bledsoe announced Jan. 4, 2022, that Tina had been honored as the office’s CAREGiver of the Month for December 2021.
Referring to the 10-year-old agency owned by Van and Ann Lankford, Tina said: “I am thrilled to be at Home Instead. I have never worked for such a wonderful group. If I’m sick or anything, they check on me and always tell me they’re praying for me.”
Tina also pointed out: “I have been very blessed to have had a few different clients while with Home Instead. They become like family to me. I know how I wanted my parents to be taken care of when they were sick, so I always think of that when working with my clients. I’ve had the most precious clients in my short time at Home Instead.”
Special caregiving memories seem to evolve each day for Tina.
“I had a client who really bonded with me. He and his sweet little wife are absolutely precious. I told them I had lost both of my parents, so going to their house was like going home. They replied, ‘That’s how we want you to feel,’ and they took me under their wings. I feel as if I am another one of their children. He has dementia and doesn’t remember all of our good days and fun times, but I’m very thankful that as of now, he still remembers me,” Tina said.
Aside from work, the 55-year-old Mount Airy native enjoys her life with her family and friends. “I have a wonderful husband of 34 years and a son who is 30 years old. When I’m not working, I enjoy going to the Outer Banks (OBX) with my husband. He loves to fish, and shelling is what I love to do,” Tina said.
Tina is among more than 100,000 Home Instead CAREGivers worldwide, and she has helped add to those numbers because of her strong belief in Home Instead’s purpose. It isn’t hard to see Tina lives the Home Instead principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
She said, “I’m looking forward to seeing what my future holds with Home Instead. All of the office staff are the best. I am very thankful for Home Instead.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (336) 789-4472 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
