Caregiver of the Month Rachel A.’s role model is her mother, who enjoyed a 38-year career as a registered nurse. “Nothing meant more to her than helping people,” Rachel said. “I remember learning the ‘Nurses Anthem’ from Mom at age 9 and singing it. One of the lyrics is ‘We’ve been chosen, chosen by God, chosen to be nurses to love and serve.’ She was so dedicated to her work and her family. I watched her care of my grandmother for a period of 11 years until she went to be with the Lord.”
Rachel joined the Home Instead ® franchise of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, following a suggestion from her husband. In November 2018, Rachel joined owner Kelly Hutchison’s award-winning franchise. “This is a calling for me. When I’m at work, I do my best to make sure that in all I do, my clients are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. In a way, I also believe it is preparing me more for my career path as a nurse. This kind of work must be a calling. You can’t really do it by just waking up one day and deciding to be a Caregiver. A Caregiver needs a heart of passion as you maximize your God-given gifts to serve. Mom is proud of me because I am helping seniors who need assistance to remain safely in their homes, and I am honored to be serving in this way all the seniors who welcome us into their homes,” explained Rachel.
Rachel feels humbled and inspired by helping military veterans, many of whom have shared stories with Rachel that they have not told family members. She said: “The veterans don’t want family to see them break down in tears when telling these stories. The thing about veterans is they hate war and do not romanticize it. They fought out of a sense of duty to defend our country. I hear about their passion for their country, their pain and their histories.” Rachel added: “They served their country. Whatever we enjoy with prosperity and freedom, they paid the price. A lot of their friends never made it back from the conflicts. It is different to hear about military history on a first-person basis. There is nothing like it.”
Rachel added, “My current client loves to sing. We sing at night when she can’t sleep. I am ready for anything because every night is different as she is in the early stage of dementia. She is a strong person, and we make a good team! I always focus on the positive way of doing things.”
Rachel plans to continue her path as a Caregiver. “I am really grateful to be with Home Instead. Home Instead is generous. It is a good company that stands by its values with its clients and employees,” she said. And I’m grateful for the opportunity given to me through them as a company to serve our senior citizens.”
