Honoree Yukiko Recalls Grandfather’s Overwhelming Influence
Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Yukiko Howard-Johnson reflected deeply on her childhood when she was asked if she had served as a family caregiver when she was a young girl – just as many honored Care Pros had done as a bedrock for their caregiving skills and compassionate attitudes.
“I wasn’t so much a young caregiver as much as I was influenced greatly by our incredible grandfather, who raised my sister and I until his death at age 74, when I was 16 years old,” Yukiko recalled. “I learned a lot from him. He shaped our lives by modeling great family values, compassion and empathy. If we needed anything, he was there. He looked out for others, not just us kids. My siblings and I grasped important lessons of life early on just by watching him.”
Yukiko explained: “My grandfather had been disabled to a certain extent with polio, but our quality of life was extraordinary. He washed our clothes with a wash tub and washboard. My sister and I lacked extravagances that others may have had, but we had love for each other and were well cared for. Our grandfather was self-sufficient and very handy. His grandfather was an amazing man, too. My grandfather came from nothing as far as having a lot of material things. But he was rich in spirit and was the sum of a great many experiences that he passed on. As I get older, I wish I had asked him more about his background. In my mind, he was a legend.”
Yukiko added: “I didn’t help my grandfather too much as he aged – for me, the scripts were not flipped, so to say – because I was so young. I do remember when I was 13, he was watching TV and asked me to get him a cup of water. I remember feeling so honored I could do something for him. I was shocked because he was so independent.”
Yukiko didn’t enter professional senior care until she joined Home Instead of Clearwater, Florida, an award-winning franchise owned by Julie Castle, in June 2024. Yukiko found Home Instead on Indeed.com. “My background is in medical, but in finance, the revenue side,” she said. “I don’t feel I had ever made a difference in someone’s life in my previous work career. I sat behind a desk from 8 to 5. I was looking for a change.”
One of Yukiko’s occasional clients is a 95-year-old hospice client. “He reminds me somewhat of my grandfather because he is so independent-minded. He isn’t brash or rude. That was like my grandfather. I feel very close to him. Companionship is a big aspect of care for him. He can take care of himself in many aspects, but we need to be there for safety,” Yukiko said.
Yukiko’s primary client – also her first client – is a 79-year-old woman who has dementia and receives 24/7 care from Home Instead. Part of a Care Pro team, Yukiko works with the client three days a week. Home Instead has assisted the client for the past five years.
“She doesn’t remember names but she recognizes us Care Pros. She says, ‘Oh, I know you’ and often asks, ‘How are you?’ She can be sweet but is also fiercely independent. She has moments when she’s not sure she wants help. She wanted me to leave once. There is no point in arguing,
so I went out to the van and came back in. It was like hitting reset. Her mobility is OK, but she is a fall risk. She needs a walker and has to be reminded sometimes to use it.
The timing of Yukiko’s shifts are perfect for her needs. “Home Instead is flexible, and my scheduling has been a blessing. I care for my 4-year-old grandson. I share his care with the other grandmother. I have the freedom to take my grandson to preschool, and I don’t need daycare for him,” Yukiko said. “For some of those with dementia, they have beautiful personalities like that of a small child. You are using compassion, repetition and patience during caregiving. You want them to feel comfortable, confident and secure. There are reminders.”
Referring to the Home Instead managers, including Director of Care Professional Services JC Crady and Vice President Colin Castle, Yukiko said: “The staff is fantastic. I’d love to stay with Home Instead until I retire. This kind of job isn’t for everyone, but it works for me. I can’t ask for a better fit.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (727) 799-1400 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
