Home Care Benefit 

Kelly Cornelius grew up in a small town in western Nebraska, where her father runs a successful farm and ranch operation. She grew up appreciating family and the close knit community she lived in. Kelly spent her summers in high school and college caring for the elderly in nursing homes and later as a home health aide. Through her experience, she developed a passion to honor our aging population. As her own grandmother declined, she saw the toll it took on her mother. Without home care options, Kelly's mom was the primary caregiver day in and day out. Her mom's relentless compassion and enduring love inspired Kelly to open a Home Instead franchise.

Coming from a small community, Kelly and her husband were drawn to the local feel of the Central Phoenix Corridor, where they have lived now for over 10 years. She hopes to honor and enhance the life of every client served by her dedicated, experienced team in the Phoenix area.

Dettra has lived most of her life right here in Phoenix, Arizona. Her very first job as a young girl was with a hospice provider. She knew immediately her heart was in caregiving. In sharing her heart and building relationships with families, she could see the difference she was making during a critical point in their lives. Dettra has been involved in caregiving now for 11 years! She joined our Home Instead family as a CAREGiver in April of 2018, demonstrating quickly that she is compassionate, dedicated, and passionate about seniors! She joined the office staff as our Office Coordinator in July 2018 and was promoted to our Training & Engagement Coordinator in 2019. She is now our Field Training Coordinator, ensuring our CAREGivers have the skills they need to provide the highest quality care. Dettra says, “My boss, Kelly, changed my life. She believes in me. She pushes me to grow, gave me this opportunity to better myself and my family, and I am doing it one day at a time. I am so happy to support our team. This is what Home Instead Senior Care is all about!” In her spare time, Dettra enjoys painting, drawing, and sculpting. She also loves fashion and expresses it with her beautiful nails and hair styles! Her all time favorite thing to do is spend time with her children and her new Home Instead family!!!

Kristina grew up in Michigan in a very small town where everyone knew everyone. After high school she moved to Missouri where she began working with adults with developmental disabilities for several years. After starting a family and relocating to Arizona, she spent several years teaching junior high math. Kristina's father-in-law began declining and needed home care and hospice. Through this process, she saw how quality home care could help keep loved ones at home. In 2019, looking for something more meaningful, Kristina applied at Home Instead! In this role she can use her hard-earned business degree, while knowing every day that she is helping families keep their loved ones at home. Kristina combines her analytical mind and compassionate heart to create magical client/CAREGiver matches! Outside of work Kristina and her husband care for her mother-in law, who has Alzheimer's. They are also the parents of a teenage son, actively involved in athletics.

Debbie is originally from Seattle. She moved to Arizona ten years ago to start a children's charity that is still going strong today. While working for the charity she met her husband, Adam, and they have been married for three years. She is a proud Mom to her two step-kiddos and her adorable puppy, Leia. Debbie has a background in ASD Therapy and office administration. She brings her extensive knowledge and organizational skills to help keep the office humming along! She chose to join Home Instead because she experienced a very difficult time when both of her parents were put into nursing homes. It was not a pleasant experience, and she wants to help families keep their loved ones at home where they are safe, loved, and provided the best care possible. Debbie loves speaking to the clients and caregivers every day and provides excellent client care and customer service!

Dionna is from Michigan and graduated from Howard University. She has worked as a manager in retail customer service for over 10 years. She moved to Arizona to be closer to her mother and found Home Instead! Dionna has always had a heart of service, and now has a place to share her gifts. Dionna says “Home Instead provides an opportunity for those who have the heart to help others, even though they may not have the years of supporting education.” She loves that Home Instead is a great place for caring people to be authentically themselves and get paid for it! Dionna is spontaneous and will try almost anything once. She loves dancing, singing, music, laughing, and a good card game.