Days after Care Professional of the Month Shiela Mae C. joined Home Instead® of Itasca, Illinois, on April 25, 2023, she received an unfamiliar challenge – Shiela began assisting a client living with dementia. Now, nearly two years later, Shiela savors her time with Ms. M.
“To be honest,” Shiela explained, “I had had no previous experience with caring for someone who is living with dementia, but I am grateful for the support and encouragement the office staff and a fellow Care Pro gave me. In my client’s situation, I first established a rapport with the other Care Pro and was able to learn about the client’s needs. I picked up tactics for meeting those needs. We collaborated as a team.”
Shiela and other Itasca Care Pros are offered the opportunity to increase their dementia-care skills by taking part in the Home Instead network’s one-of-a-kind training protocol. Home Instead’s Person-Centered Care Training for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association® for incorporating the evidence-based dementia-care practice recommendations in these topic areas: Alzheimer’s and dementia, person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and behaviors and communication.
Shiela said: “In general, we all know caring for a client living with dementia can be challenging. It requires extra understanding, love, compassion and lots of patience. My client is amazing. She occasionally exhibits sharpness and a good heart. I keep her entertained by singing, dancing and helping her with coloring. I play her music on CDs or Alexa whenever she has a challenging episode. My client is a talented woman who can play the guitar, record her own music and had previously quilted. She is unique and has a kind heart. I do everything I can to take care of her.”
Shiela works with her client four days a week. “I always keep her clean and beautiful. I love assisting with her showers and dressing her nicely. She is a remarkable person with particular needs,” said Shiela, who learned about her April Care Pro of the Month honors from Home Instead Training Coordinator Jackie Washburn. “Shiela displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart,’ ” Jackie said.
Home Instead Staffing Manager Amanda Kraus added even more superlatives for Shiela. “She is very dedicated and loyal to her client, but honestly it was a rough start for her. When she first started with Ms. M., Shiela wanted to be replaced right away because the client was too difficult. Staffing Manager Antoinette asked Shiela to give it some time. A week later, Shiela told us she and the client were singing and dancing together. The client’s family adores Shiela and is very grateful for the care she provides,” Amanda said.
Shiela, a Filipino native, arrived at owner Kelly Hutchison’s award-winning Home Instead franchise by way of Israel, where Shiela served as a professional caregiver for eight years. Home Instead sponsored Shiela’s move to the United States through other placement agencies.
“I am a registered midwife in the Philippines, practiced midwifery in our rural health clinic for a year and worked as a medical secretary in a private hospital in Manila for two years,” Shiela said. “It is fairly common in the Philippines to be a member of a family who lives in a multi-generational home. As far as taking notice of senior care and becoming intrigued by it, my narrative began when I was in fourth grade.”
Shiela added: “I lived in my great-grandmother’s home for many years until she died. I observed how my mother cared for her and the rest of our family members, and I instilled it in myself and learned from that experience. In addition, I had an excellent eight-year experience with only one client in Israel as well as other caregiving experiences while working at part-time jobs.”
Shiela loves being a part of the Care Pro team for one of Chicagoland’s outstanding Home Instead franchises, members of the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform. “Home Instead presented me with a great client,” Shiela said, “and our franchise offers flexibility with scheduling and a solid support network.”
Overall, there are more than 100,000 Care Pros across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide. For Shiela and her fellow Care Pros, touching lives impacts their souls, whether they are providing physical help such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders or personal care or if they are offering emotional support in a companionship role.
Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (847) 690-9825 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at homeinstead.com/home-care/usa/il/elk-grove-village/205.
