Karen Returns to Home Instead, Earns Her Second Award
Family always has come first for award-winning Care Professional Karen Sandico. During her first stint with Home Instead® of Midland-Odessa, Karen was honored as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month in December 2019. At that time, she pulled double duty for a while, serving as the family caregiver for her husband. Manuel Sandico suffered three strokes in 2015 while undergoing a four-way heart bypass surgery. The former pastor initially could not walk, talk or swallow and was hospitalized for four weeks. “He had to relearn so many things,” recalled Karen, who assisted her husband before he passed away Feb. 12, 2022.
“As time went on, I had to leave Home Instead for a while. In all, I had the honor of serving as my husband’s family caregiver for seven years. I enthusiastically encouraged him just as a cheerleader would cheer for a team. With much prayer, we both witnessed miracles of his functions coming back such as speech, mobility and doing things of importance,” Karen explained. “Then, after my awesome husband went to be with the Lord, my mother needed a family caregiver for two years. We had fun times, and visited her friends at the senior center and church. Now I have beautiful moments to cherish when I think of my husband and mother, and the time we spent together.”
Summing up her family caregiving experiences, Karen added: “I highly recommend – if at all possible – that you help your loved one stay in the comfort of his or her home with familiar surroundings because it brings more peace than the alternative.”
Karen recently returned to Home Instead. She didn’t lose any of her magical touch with Home Instead clients. Human Resources Director, Assistant Administrator and Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Imelda Hawkins announced that Karen had been selected as Care Pro of the Month for December 2024, five years after her first award. “Karen is back! We are truly blessed by such a beautiful soul and giving heart. Karen strives to give every client her best efforts and is a true woman of God,” Imelda said. “Karen displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ ”
Karen is happy to be back with Home Instead. “Where do I begin to start telling my Home Instead story? Home Instead has the best heartfelt staff and Care Pros in the in-home care industry, and what a privilege it is for me to be a part of it,” Karen said.
She added: “Here’s an example: At 11 o’clock one night, I was scheduled to drive in the snow for about a half-hour away for a client shift, and we very rarely see snow in our town. The owners, Lorena and William Shensky, volunteered to follow me in their truck to my 104-year-old client’s home to make sure I got there safely. Who would get out of bed to go to bat for me at that crazy hour in those conditions? If I am ever in need of anything, they help. Ask yourself, who does that? Yes, it was truly extraordinary.”
Furthermore, Karen said: “Home Instead has allowed me to meet the most amazing people with varied backgrounds. What a delightful time I have had meeting people. Keep in mind they are in their most vulnerable condition. In the Scripture where the Lord says, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ it has been the compass in my life. I try to put myself in my clients’ shoes in terms of how I would like to be treated if I were going through the same challenge. The clients I have enjoyed the most are the ones who share their lives with me. They do such things as pulling their family photos out to show me. Sometimes they laugh, and sometimes they cry, but overall I am blessed to hear them speaking their heart about each situation.”
Karen will never forget a 96-year-old former church school teacher, who kept a Bible on her nightstand. One night, she was struggling to get to sleep. Karen asked, “Would you mind if I pray with you?” For five minutes, the client also prayed, recited Bible verses and sang a hymn in a faint whisper before falling asleep.
The client held fast to her faith. Karen, sharing the same strong faith, helped the client practice her beliefs. “After praying and saying the Bible verses,” Karen recalled, “she started singing ‘Old Rugged Cross.’ She was singing and talking to the Lord. While her physical body was tired and weakened, her spirit was so awake. I prayed for her.” Karen added: “We look to doctors for our infirmities, and that is great. We also should go to the ultimate doctor, God, who is waiting for people to ask for His healing. That is done in prayer.”
In 2018, Karen was working as a substitute teacher before she decided to apply at Home Instead. “Subbing for teachers was great, and I loved it. But as we entered the summer, I needed another job besides substitute teaching,” Karen explained. “I had seen the Home Instead sign. The Lord moved for me, and I decided to try caregiving because of Home Instead’s flexibility. I feel blessed at Home Instead. I trust in the Lord’s leading and the path.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (432) 689-4663 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
