Four months after Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Maria M. had begun helping a client in his 90s, he contracted COVID-19 at a rehabilitation facility and died last May. “It was a shock to all of us. He was really nice, a very loving man. I want to keep his memory in my heart. Deep inside my heart, I want to see my clients’ smiles, and his smile shined brightly,” Maria said.
Observing her client and his wife, Maria witnessed the conclusion of a long-running love story. “He and his wife had been together for 72 years and had met when they were about 20 years old. Every day, he always would be saying cute things to her like, ‘How are you, beautiful?’ To him, his wife always had been beautiful. I told his wife, ‘I wish I had someone like your husband,’ ” Maria said. “The wife did not become my client until after her husband died.”
The client’s widow felt a bond with Maria and asked her to stay as her only Care Pro. “She wants just me, which makes me feel good. She is doing pretty well, and I am with her for four-hour shifts. While her husband had signs of dementia, she has no memory problems,” Maria explained. “Family members drop in to visit every other day. They live five minutes away. I provide them with peace of mind. I am busy when I am there.”
The client, who uses a walker, has a strongly independent spirit. “It takes a little bit of time, but she can usually get around to doing what she wants to do. She wants to stay active. It feels good to her to be independent,” Maria said.
At times, Maria and her client feel the emotional void left by the loss of the client’s husband. “Sometimes when we talk, she says, ‘Oh, I miss him.’ I tell her I feel the same way. She tells me stories about him, including when he served in the Army. He was an artist who drew pictures, including ones for his grandchildren. I like to hear her stories – they will be in my heart for a long time to come. It was a privilege to get to know him,” Maria said.
For Maria, the adventure that started during Valentine Week in 2024 at owner Kelly Hutchison’s award-winning Home Instead franchise in Itasca, Illinois, continues at a good, successful pace. Maria covered a lot of ground while revealing her journey:
Question: How did you find Home Instead?
Maria: “When I looking for a job, I was nervous because I hadn’t worked for a while as a result of being a stay-at-home mom. But my circumstances had changed. One of my girlfriends suggested that I apply for a caregiving job since I had already done that kind of work. I went on Indeed.com, found Home Instead and explained my situation, being a mom with two daughters. Home Instead was flexible with the work hours.”
Question: What was your previous caregiving experience?
Maria: “I had worked as a server in the nursing home, where I had friends who were co-workers. It was a big change when I began working directly with the residents all the time in 2015. One of my friends asked me if I would work in the memory-care unit, and I was nervous at first. I worked there for 3½ years.”
Question: Tell us about the memory-care unit.
Maria: “I had not previously been experienced in dealing with someone with dementia. It was special for me to work there. You must be patient, and I liked the work because I had a heart for it. A good number of employees honestly would rather not work in memory care, but I loved it.”
Question: How was the hiring process at Home Instead?
Maria: “I talked to Angie (McCulloch, the client care manager) and Alina (Merrill, the HR manager). I ended up staying after I applied and went through training and then got my assignment to go to the couple. I’ve been with the widow for almost a year now. I’ve also worked with other clients, mostly on a fill-in basis. I am a ‘regular’ fill-in for some.”
Question: Tells us about the one-on-one care, which is far different from facility care.
Maria: “I try to learn as much as I can about the clients. I like to break the ice with conversation and put them at ease. I want to lose the feel of being a stranger to them as quickly as I can. It’s OK if they don’t want to talk. I don’t force it. Sometimes I wait for their questions or requests. But I do want them to warm up to me. One client’s wife told me when I first arrived, ‘I don’t know what to tell you to do.’ I replied, ‘I’ll do whatever you need. How about some light housekeeping to make your load lighter?’ I want to do the things that are hard or time-consuming for the client to do. I try to keep everything clean and neat. Above all, I make sure they are safe.”
Question: What are your primary challenges?
Maria: “No doubt, it’s when you lose a client. One client passed away on my day off – I had switched to cover his wife while he was in rehab, where he had gotten his illness. Their daughter-in-law called the office to pass along the sad word to me. I went to the house a couple of hours after he passed away, and I stayed with them to see what I could do to help them.”
Question: Care Pro of the Month is quite an honor, and you’ve obviously made quite an impact in your first year at Home Instead. What are you thinking about your future?
Maria: “My Home Instead job is good for me and my daughters. It works out well with school hours. Home Instead understands about my particular situation and the times when I may need off. They are flexible with my scheduling. Home Instead communicates well. I don’t see any major changes.”
Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (847) 690-9825 or homeinstead.com/home-care/usa/il/elk-grove-village/205
