Home Instead® Care Professional Marie Cole will never forget her first day with a 94-year-old client about a year ago. Marie, recounting the episode as if it were yesterday, said: “She told me, ‘You’re 31.’ Since I’m not 31 years old, I asked her what ‘31’ was. She replied, ‘You’re the 31st caregiver to come help me.’ ”
With a wry smile, Marie said, “After a while, I could see why, but I managed. I know how to deal with challenging clients and people. She was active, still cooking and baking. But during a year’s time, she declined.”
Because Marie handles every challenge with patience and empathy, it’s easy to see why she was honored as a Care Pro of the Month at Home Instead of south-central Houston, an award-winning franchise owned by Greg Gomez-Mira. Home Instead Scheduling Coordinator Jessica Williams made the announcement, noting that Marie displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”.
Jessica added: “Marie is one of those ‘Steady Freddies’ who Human Resources Manager Margi Kenny is always talking about. The point is, Marie shows up for her client on time, engages with her and has established not only a professional relationship but has also cultivated a companionship. Those kinds of connections and bonding are things all of our clients need from time to time. Marie is a very dependable person, and I’m glad she’s on board with our Home Instead franchise.”
Marie traces her intense interest in professional senior care through her family tree. “I love caring for the elderly. My family has gravitated toward working in the medical field, including my grandma, my mom, my sister and my brother. I received my caring nature from my mom. I’d listen to my mom talk about her job and heard about things she gifted to strangers. My mom always was a giver,” Marie explained.
She began her journey with Home Instead in July 2023. “I heard about this Home Instead office from a friend who worked at another Home Instead franchise. With Home Instead, I decided to work part time, which I like because the hours fit with my schedule. So, I like Home Instead’s flexibility. As a Home Instead Care Pro, I treasure the older population. They have so many stories about their past and historical events,” Marie said.
Before arriving at Home Instead, Marie pointed out: “I have worked as a CNA. In the past, I had taken care of clients who had cerebral palsy. I assisted one gentleman until he passed away. It always is sad to lose someone. They are like family.”
Describing another poignant situation before arriving at Home Instead, Marie said: “I cared for another client on weekends. One Sunday, she wanted to put on a different gown and lipstick, and she wanted her hair combed differently. We did all of those things, and I left at 3 p.m., when my shift ended. Surprisingly, her daughter called two hours later and said her mom had passed away. The daughter said her mom was very pretty that day. I told her daughter that her mother asked me to fix her up. I was very touched that day. She may have sensed what was around the corner and decided to look her best. I was glad to be part of what turned out to be her last request.”
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.
