As far as one of the Home Instead® clients was concerned, Valarie Dominguez was The One.
In June, the client asked Valarie if she had a passport. “Yes,” Valarie said, “but I wasn’t sure if it had expired. The client’s daughters had planned a cruise, and the client wanted to go. She told Valarie, “The only way I can go is if you accompany me and take care of me.”
As soon as Valarie returned home, she looked for the passport and indeed found it had expired a month earlier. “When I went back to work with her,” Valarie recalled, “I explained the situation and told her that she should ask one of her other Care Pros if they could go with her.”
The client’s reply? She emphatically said no.
Valarie added: “She said I was the only one who she wanted to take. As the months passed, my client’s health declined and she just recently passed away. She will always have a special place in my heart and will be greatly missed, but I know I made a difference in her life. She was happy those last five months I worked with her. And, for that, I am grateful,” said Valarie, who was honored as the October Care Pro of the Month. In May, she joined owner Todd Felker’s Home Instead franchise that serves Collin County from its office in Plano.
Valarie offered several heartfelt observations about serving seniors and their families on behalf of Home Instead:
- “Being a Care Pro is the most rewarding experience I have ever had. I feel a sense of purpose and meaning while assisting my clients.”
- “My job allows me to connect with the clients and provide care for those who need it the most. I have witnessed how my care and support makes a difference in their lives.”
- “Caregiving is an opportunity to show love, respect and dignity to seniors. It is a deep, fulfilling experience; it allows me to learn about myself and grow as an individual.”
- “As a senior-care professional, I am reminded how grateful I am. It encourages me to be more mindful and appreciate the simple things in life.”
Home Instead Care Pro Advocate Amanda Ross, who announced Valarie’s honor, said: “Valarie has brought great experience with her to Home Instead and has been a wonderful companion for her clients. She is very driven and provides good encouragement to keep her clients engaged and active. Valarie displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ ”
Valarie heard about Home Instead from a church member who was working with Home Instead at the time. “She told me so many wonderful things. I was curious, since I was looking for a job, and I had been a professional caregiver for seven years. I had experience and the skills, so I applied and was hired,” Valarie said.
Valarie’s caregiving experiences go back much further than seven years. She is the eldest of four children and comes from a small town in the Oklahoma Panhandle. Valarie always had helped take care of her younger siblings while growing up because both parents had worked. “I had responsibilities at an early age,” Valarie said, “and I enjoyed helping around the house.”
“At the age of 14, I started babysitting outside of the home. I was excited since that was a fairly easy way to earn a buck. I graduated high school and went to college for a few years. I had the opportunity to move to Dallas and live with family, so I left Oklahoma.”
Valarie continues to serve as a family caregiver. “I help by taking my dad to his doctor appointments and other places he needs to go. My mother is a nurse and works 12-hour overnight shifts, so she can’t always take my dad to his appointments and other places. She has to rest during the day. I enjoy being a family caregiver because we get to spend quality time together. I also pick up my niece from school and help my family in any way possible.”
At her previous jobs in Texas, Valarie had secured a job at the American Red Cross as a secretary in the nursing department. “When they started offering a Home Health Aide course,” Valarie explained, “I took it and became certified. I began working for the Visiting Nurse Association after that. I had many clients in Dallas County.”
Valarie pointed out: “Through the years, I have had many wonderful and rewarding jobs but caregiving truly is a work of heart. I like this job because I want to help someone in need and help them live their best lives. I know that my time with them matters. While each day can be filled with tasks necessary for physical well-being – such as bathing, grooming, dressing, assisting with meals, medication reminders, light housekeeping, shopping and running errands – the emotional support I give my clients is just as invaluable.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (469) 916-9202 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at homeinstead.com/location/278
