Robin Loves Making a Difference for Clients
When Home Instead® CAREGiver of the Month Robin Nash first met one of her clients, Robin entered the room with her engaging smile and a sweet “hello.” Robin then walked over to her client and extended her hand as a physical greeting. The client looked at Robin, smiled and said, “You’re a keeper.”
Said Robin: “It warmed my heart. From that day, a bond was built. Every time we saw each other, she would light up like a candle and didn’t complain about her situation.”
When Robin heard from others who were taking care of the client, they’d tell Robin how the client fretted and said she just wanted to die. Robin slowly shook her head and said, “I’m sure they tried to comfort and encourage her just as I did. The client and I had plenty of talks. We also shared laughter, a few cries and even prayer.”
Robin added, “I did my best to keep her in a good mood because every time she saw me she’d say, ‘Oh good. It’s you.’ She was upbeat, and I did not want that attitude to change while I was with her. Every family member of hers would say, ‘You’re Robin!’ I’d then be greeted with smiles, handshakes and sometimes even hugs. Those things keep me looking forward to seeing every client. I know I can make a difference in someone’s day, even if it is a slight one.”
Robin began making a difference for her clients at Home Instead of Clawson in November 2020. “I learned about Home Instead through a TV commercial after I began serving as a private-duty caregiver. Before that, I had been working at a dead-end job as an office manager at an automobile repair shop. I didn’t mind the work, but I was unbelievably bored and other aspects of the job were not ideal,” Robin recalled.
“I needed more excitement in customer service on a more personal level, so I became a private-duty caregiver and took on a client who had a traumatic brain injury. In effect, I became his physical therapist. While working with him, I saw the Home Instead commercial, and it piqued my interest. I gave them a call to set up an interview and the rest is history.”
As far back as Robin can remember, she’s always wanted to help people. Robin can recall hoping to be a doctor or a nurse. Later, as a family caregiver, she assisted her stepfather as well as her maternal grandmother and grandfather until they passed away.
“My academic work toward a professional caregiving or medical career started after high school. I took classes with the intention of becoming a registered nurse but couldn’t obtain my degree because of unforeseen circumstances. It left me feeling like all of that work was for nothing. I was very disappointed and put off further classwork for a while. Years later, I took medical assistant classes, earned my certificate but didn’t work immediately in that field because I was doing well as a restaurant cook,” Robin said.
“It wasn’t until September 1998 when I began working as a private-duty caregiving professional. I started with one client, a quadriplegic with lots of bed sores. He had trouble keeping private-duty caregivers because of his attitude. After analyzing his condition, my compassion and love for an in-need human being kicked in, and that client became a selfless priority. I even brought in one of my sisters to assist so he’d have around-the-clock care,” said Robin, who later joined a care community and began working for the first time with dementia clients.
Referring to her Home Instead job, Robin said: “What I like most is the clients. Some of my favorite stories about clients involve laughter, activities, a little dancing and sometimes tears.
They each have an interesting story to tell, whether they can speak or not. I especially like it when my care generates smiles for both my client and myself.
“There are challenges. I remember a client who was at his wit’s end because of his health decline. One minute, he was up and about doing what we would call normal activities. Then, in the next moment, bam! His legs stopped working. I don’t know if it was because of a hospital stint where he went without physical therapy or perhaps it was psychological or both. I just did my best with him. The support is emotional as well as physical.”
Robin added: “Our Home Instead office staff and my co-workers are simply awesome. We all have a part to play, and our parts fit into this amazing, solvable puzzle.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (248) 203-2273 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
