For CAREGiver of the Month Mikayla Bates, a Friday shift with her client had gone normally … until it was time to say goodbye.
“When I got ready to leave for the weekend, my client told me she wanted to come along and spend the weekend with me because she was lonely,” said Mikayla, recalling the emotional moments. “I explained it couldn’t happen, and she said, ‘Fine, I guess. Monday will do.’ When I showed up Monday, what I saw tugged at my heart. She had made a poster and a card that said, ‘Welcome home! I missed you!’ It was a great way to start my Monday.”
It was a story Mikayla won’t soon forget, but she’s not usually part of the great stories she hears when she’s spending time with a client. Describing what she likes most about being a Home Instead CAREGiver, Mikayla said: “I hear amazing stories about their lives, and I make amazing relationships with my clients. I went to a different job for a while and came back. One of my clients cried happy tears when I came back, gave me a hug and told me she missed me.”
Mikayla joined Home Instead Senior Care® of Victoria on Jan. 3, 2020. She brought plenty of caregiving experience when she became a CAREGiver for the award-winning franchise owned by Stephanie Niles. “I’ve worked five years with different companies, including two in Grand Junction, Colorado,” said Mikayla, who graduated from high school in Aspen, Colorado, which is 130 miles east of Grand Junction.
“I started caregiving in Colorado, where I was taking care of a family member for about three years before the family member passed away. I started looking for in-home care companies, and that did it – my career went from there. I just knew that caregiving is my passion and what I am meant to do in life.”
Mikayla added: “I was looking for a job in a new state. I had seen an online ad for Home Instead Senior Care, and I applied. Honestly, Home Instead was among the top three companies I’ve worked for. To be named the CAREGiver of the Month, I can say it is a surprise and an honor.”
During the stressful COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not surprising that the faith-based Mikayla draws strength from two key Bible verses:
• Joel 2:25 – “God can restore what is broken and change it into something amazing. All you need is faith.”
• Psalms 94:19 – “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”
Home Instead Senior Care’s guiding principles are also its employees’ mantra: CAREGivers demonstrate their commitment to their clients by honoring God in all they do; treating their clients and their families with dignity and respect; embracing personal growth in an attempt to continually improve the quality of their care through franchise training; and building value in their service to others.
All Home Instead Senior Care CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about CAREGiver employment , please apply online or call (361) 433-0330. For additional home care information visit Home Instead Senior Care.
Rewarding Care Careers in Victoria, TX
