Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Annie Hodge did not back down when a monster winter snowstorm struck the Houston area Jan. 21, 2025. Winter Storm Enzo, so named by The Weather Channel, struck Houston with record-setting amounts of snow that reached as high as 6 inches in an occurrence that was considered rare for southeast Texas. The snowfall and ice caused disruptions in the city, with road and business closures, as well as power outages.
Many in-home care shifts across the city understandably were affected for days because of widespread travel difficulty. But Home Instead Scheduling Coordinator Jessica Williams praised Annie, saying: “Annie worked a 36-hour shift because of Winter Storm Enzo.”
Jessica added: “Annie is one of our more seasoned caregivers. She has a true love for the job as well as her client. Annie communicates with the office about any changes for her client and any concerns she may have.”
While announcing Annie’s Care Pro of the Month honor for February, Jessica also said: “Annie embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ ” Among the considerations for achieving Care Pro of the Month status, an employee has shown he or she has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Empathy and compassion are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations.
In addition to her strong companionship skills, Annie provides safety assurance, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and transportation and errands. Annie offers personal assistance with eating, grooming, dressing, bathing, incontinence care, cognitive impairment, hospice support and mobility. By expertly doing so, Annie not only assists her clients, but helps their families eliminate worry, reduce stress and re-establish personal freedom.
To build on their knowledge and experience, Annie and her Care Pro colleagues 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.
Owner Greg Gomez-Mira’s award-winning Home Instead® franchise serves the south-central Houston area, including the cities of Arcola, Bellaire, First Colony, Fresno, Greatwood, Iowa Colony, Lake Olympia, Meyer Park, Meyerland, Missouri City, Pearland, Quail Valley, Riverstone, Rosharon, Shadow Creek Ranch, Sienna Plantation, Stafford, Sugar Land, Sunnyside, Sweetwater, Thompsons and Westbury.
Annie loves being a part of the Care Pro team for one of Houston’s outstanding Home Instead franchises, members of the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform. 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.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 774-2215 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
