Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Patricia Lara quickly figured out the “why” of a challenging client’s difficult behavior. Patricia cut to the chase: “The client just wanted to feel as if she still mattered.” That’s how Patricia relates to each of her Home Instead clients. She feels that each client is like a family member.
“As far as client memories go, I don’t have a favorite story. I am proud I was able to get along with a client whom almost no one else could win over. We did well. I listened to her needs and made her feel as if she was still in control. That came at a time when everything in her life seemed to be getting away from her,” said Patricia, who has been working with seniors on behalf of owner Kelly Hutchison’s award-winning Home Instead franchise in Itasca for about a year.
It’s easy to see that Patricia thinks of her mother when she’s assisting Home Instead clients. “I took care of my mother when she had surgery and was very satisfied with the feeling of being able to help her,” said Patricia, who was looking for a part-time job in 2022 and saw the Care Pro job posting for Home Instead.
“When my mother had surgery last year, I helped her through two medical procedures, which were six months apart. I helped her shower and get in bed, cleaned her house and did anything else she needed. I felt very good about myself because I was able to help her.
As far as working for Home Instead, Patricia takes the view that compassion, empathy and companionship are high priorities. “The thing I like most about my job is that I am able to help someone. I make them feel important, and I want them to feel as though they still matter to others as they enter this stage of their lives, when activities of daily living sometimes can be challenging for them. A sense of self-worth is important to anyone, young or old.”
Home Instead Human Resources Manager Alina Merrill said: “For an employee to be considered for Care Pro of the Month status, she has shown she’s gone above and beyond the call of duty.
Empathy and compassion weigh heavily as award credentials, but so do skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations. Patricia’s conduct amplifies Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ Patricia is someone who is exceptional at her work with any client.”
In addition to her companionship skills, Patricia provides safety assurance, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and transportation and errands. Patricia and her cohorts offer assistance with eating, grooming, dressing, bathing, incontinence care, cognitive impairment, hospice support and mobility. By expertly doing so, they not only assist their clients, but help the clients’ families eliminate worry, reduce stress and re-establish personal freedom.
To build on their knowledge and experience, Patricia and other Itasca Care Pros are offered the opportunity to increase their dementia-care skills by taking part in the Home Instead network’s one-of-a-kind training protocol. Home Instead’s Person-Centered Care Training for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association® for incorporating the evidence-based dementia-care practice recommendations in these topic areas: Alzheimer’s and dementia, person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and behaviors and communication.
Patricia loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the Chicagoland franchise, a member of a network comprised of Home Instead, Inc. and its parent company, Honor. 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.
