CAREGiver of the Month Diolanda Barrientes believes she has the privilege of taking care of very important people. Yes, they are Diolanda’s VIPs. “Seniors are among the most powerful people on Earth, in my opinion, because they are the wisest and most knowledgeable people, and they have a wonderful perspective on life,” Diolanda said.
Diolanda has worked in professional senior care for more than 16 years, and she has been impressive since joining Home Instead® of Victoria in July 2021. Recruiting and Retention Coordinator Maegan Coldewey announced Diolanda’s CAREGiver of the Month honor on behalf of the award-winning Home Instead franchise owned by Pietro Jordao and Dillon Rice.
Diolanda’s compassion and empathy for people are reflected in her name, which means “God is beautiful,” and nothing is more beautiful than God’s love for his people. Diolanda has that beautiful love for seniors. She said: “I have a big heart and passion for people, no matter the age.”
She added: “I am where I should be in my career, but my senior-care roots did not necessarily begin growing when I was younger because I did not do any hands-on family caregiving with the elderly. Our older family members were healthy and did not require care, which was a blessing. But I’ve always been comfortable with seniors, including grandparents and others.”
Before she entered the workforce, Diolanda had intended to join the child protective services field. “I wanted to help the young who suffer from neglect and abuse. What kept me from working in that field was that I get too emotional about handling those challenges, and those things must be kept professional. For example, I think I’d want to take care of every child I’d meet. I’d want to solve every problem, fix every issue. That, of course, is not possible,” she said.
Senior care has a way of touching her heart, allowing Diolanda to serve others and keeping her emotional equilibrium. Before joining Home Instead, Diolanda couldn’t get enough hours with her other jobs. “I had challenges with my finances. With Home Instead, I have been able to add more income while working at something I love. In-home senior-care jobs with other companies can ebb and flow because clients come and go for various reasons,” she said.
“I love to keep busy. My children are all grown, and I am filling my time with work I love. It is about helping and developing relationships. I don’t like staying at home with nothing to do.”
When Diolanda checked out Home Instead last summer, she liked what she saw. “They seemed like a good employer, and they indeed have been. Home Instead’s office consists of great people, more so than other companies. Home Instead is a wonderful company with wonderful people, and they put their words into actions,” she said.
Diolanda knows her limits, schedules her time wisely and Home Instead helps. “I have a Home Instead shift from 4 p.m. to 7 on weekdays and every other weekend. The nice client is in his 70s, and he shares a house with a senior who is about 20 years older than he is. His friend, who also is a good person, has her own housekeeper. The client is a kind man, and I love to go back for every shift. He was thinking of me when he wanted me to have Christmas Eve off,” Diolanda said.
“He is very sharp. He uses a walker, but he’s starting to spend more time in a wheelchair. He sends me for groceries, and I handle light housekeeping and other things. As far as personal care goes, I wait for him to ask. He is shy and needs to feel comfortable about receiving that kind of care. I make sure everything is prepared for his shower, and he capably handles it while I am a standby assist. He’s been in the hospital, and I help him with challenges related to that.”
Diolanda is among more than 100,000 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 Diolanda lives the Home Instead principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
“I want to keep going with what I do. I will stay with this line of work until God has something different for me,” Diolanda said.
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (361) 433-0330 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
