In November 2023, Doris was encouraged to apply for a Care Professional position at owner Kelly Hutchison’s award-winning Home Instead® franchise in Itasca, Illinois. One year later, Home Instead Training Coordinator Jackie Washburn announced Doris had been honored as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month.
Before arriving at Home Instead, Doris had never worked in professional senior care. While figuratively traveling “from zero to 65” to adeptly embrace her job and its challenges, Doris credited the discovery of her fulfilling job to her daughter, who works full time as an accountant in the Chicago area.
Doris explained: “My daughter took me to this Home Instead office to apply. She said I would like the job. She had worked part time for a different Home Instead franchise. She was working on her master’s degree at the same time and found that being a Care Pro was perfect for her. Now I know why. Even though we have worked for different offices, I found that my Home Instead office also is made up of good people. What I like most about my job is the way the Home Instead staff does things for us and communicates well. I love them all, everybody.”
Doris’s daughter was certain her mother would be a success as a Home Instead Care Pro, and here’s why:
- No matter the age, Doris has a passion for taking care of people. She is patient, empathetic and compassionate. Challenges don’t frazzle Doris.
- As a family caregiver, Doris took care of her mom for almost three years before she passed away.
“I always tell my clients they are like my mom or dad. They deserve the same kind of respect that I would give my parents,” Doris said.
She recalled a dementia client who always made her laugh. But there also were emotional episodes that weren’t so cheerful. “The dementia made some of her behaviors challenging,” Doris said, “so you had to go with the flow and refrain from taking things personally when she would be in her challenging phases.”
Doris added: “One minute, she’d tell me she loved me and I was ‘her angel,’ and the next minute she would say, ‘I hate you and don’t wish to see you. Get out.’ That kind of attitude reversal is not uncommon among those who have dementia. I was with her for three months before she passed away. Referencing challenging behaviors in general, I am not offended if I hear hurtful things because they can be attributed to dementia or an overwhelmingly chronic pain.”
Since August, Doris has been working as a weekday live-in Care Pro for a bedbound client. “The client is nice, a good woman. She said she never wants me to leave. I was with her on Thanksgiving, and I will be with her on Christmas. Again, I feel like family to her just as I have for my other clients,” Doris said.
When Jackie revealed Doris’s Care Pro of the Month award, she said: “Doris is a kind and gentle Care Pro. We always know we can count on Doris, even in a pinch. She is consistent and dependable, and our clients love her! We were thrilled to honor Doris, and I know the award means a lot to her because she was excited to hear the news. I am so proud of her!”
Doris loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the Chicagoland franchise in DuPage County, a member of a network comprised of Home Instead, Inc. and its parent company, Honor. She said: “My future is right here with Home Instead.”
With the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform, Honor and Home Instead are revolutionizing care for older adults, their families and Care Pros. Combined, the network has more than 100,000 Care Pros across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide.
Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (847) 690-9825 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at homeinstead.com/location/205
