Care Professional Linda Flores-Roque’s first client with Home Instead® of south-central Houston was a woman in her late 70s who was on hospice care. Linda, working in her first professional senior-care job, was comfortable in her role because she had provided the same kind of compassionate care many times as a family caregiver. In fact, the assignment led to a special connection between Linda and her client.
“I treat my Home Instead clients as if they were my parents,” Linda explained. “In general, this job has been a great fit for me because I always had been taking care of a family member, one right after another. I make sure I give my clients a warm smile as soon as I come through the door. Empathy is really important as far as I am concerned.”
While working 12-hour shifts, Linda was with her hospice client for three weeks before she passed away. “During my first week with her,” Linda said, “we talked a lot, really sharing. Life takes on an entirely different perspective when you know your time is short. The same was true for me, too. I wanted to get to know her as quickly as I could, and we did bond quickly.”
Linda added: ”Hospice care isn’t a normal circumstance for meeting someone for the first time, and you make every minute with them count. I knew what she enjoyed and needed. My client’s physical condition deteriorated quickly after that first week, and she was barely able to communicate in our second and third weeks. I wanted to be one of the reasons she smiled near the end. She didn’t have a husband or children, but she had a special niece and her pets. She loved her dogs; they were like her kids. I helped with them.”
Linda joined owner Greg Gomez-Mira’s award-winning Home Instead franchise on May 22, 2024. “During my job search, I looked on Indeed.com. When it asked for professional references, I couldn’t give any, since I had not previously worked in this field. But I had cared for a number of those near and dear to me. As a result, Home Instead’s staff still reached out to me because they saw the value of what I had done for my family. I had cared for many of them, including my maternal grandparents, my parents, an uncle, an aunt and a brother. I also helped a close friend of our family for six months. They all have passed away,” Linda explained.
Linda will never forget her loved ones and how she supported them. “My uncle died Oct. 9, 2021. His brother – my dad – died just a day later. Another of their brothers died during roughly the same time period. There were seven siblings, and now there are only two sisters (her aunts) remaining,” Linda said. “My mother died in 2018. She didn’t know she had cancer until it had gotten into the late stage, and it was too late to save her. My brother also died in 2018.”
Less than four months after Linda joined Home Instead, she was honored as the franchise’s September Care Pro of the Month. While announcing Linda’s award, Home Instead Schedule Coordinator Jessica Williams said: “To me, Linda is the epitome of a team player. She rolls with the punches for any client who I assign, and she does it with a smile. I wish I had more Care Pros like Linda who are willing to take the harder cases just to further their knowledge and experience in this profession, where each client’s situation is truly unique.”
Linda smiled when she was told of the Home Instead staff’s praise for her. “I like the work and nothing bad has happened. One client said he didn’t think he needed me, that he could take care of himself despite his Parkinson’s disease, but he warmed up to me. Working with all of our clients bolsters my soul and makes me feel good, so I am not just helping them. They are helping me, too,” Linda said.
“My work is always interesting. It is something different every day, but I don’t feel any stress. My two regular clients are sweethearts. They have the same diagnosis of dementia, but they are completely different in terms of their behavior and what they need. I have learned a lot about each, including what their triggers are.”
Linda added: “In my eyes, there really have been no challenges. I enjoy my clients and look forward to going to work each day. The two clients repeat themselves a lot, but I listen to their stories as if I am hearing them for the first time. I know their routines, and I go with the flow. One client might ask to remain in bed for 30 more minutes before she gets up, which is fine. The other client loves to get out and walk or go for a ride, although sometimes she prefers to stay in. In terms of their activities, I go by how they feel that particular day.”
When asked about her work journey in the future, Linda said: “I can see myself being with Home Instead six months from now, two years from now and even eight years from now. The office staff communicates well and is flexible. I wanted to be a Care Professional after I looked at everything Home Instead is about. Before this job, I was just spending a lot of time at home and helping family. But it came down to finding something to do. This job was perfect.”
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.
