Home Instead® Human Resources Director Brenda Munro has had a “front-row seat” while watching twice-honored Care Professional of the Month Cheri Funk provide compassionate care for a longtime client who lost her husband a year ago after 67 years of marriage. “Cheri has been such an important part of the client’s life while she grieves the loss of her husband,” Brenda said.
“Cheri is an extremely positive person,” Brenda pointed out. “She brings love and good energy everywhere she goes. She cares so deeply about our clients and about everyone in her life. She has an innate ability to empathize, always putting herself in the shoes of those for whom she cares. She embodies kindness and compassion, and I have no doubt she makes a profound difference in the lives of anyone with whom she comes in contact.”
Four years and two months after Cheri was first honored as a Care Pro of the Month, the Home Instead staff in Louisville, Colorado, selected Cheri for her second honor in November 2024. The award-winning Home Instead franchise, owned by Michael Lammers, assists seniors and their families in Boulder and Broomfield Counties as well as northwest Adams County.
Cheri explained: “I have been primarily working with one client for quite some time now. As much as she may challenge me and keep me on my toes, we have a lot of fun together. I feel it is an advantage for both of us that we enjoy a lot of the same things. For example, we share a love for Hallmark Channel movies, gardening, ‘Our Daily Bread’ devotions that we read together each day, eating certain foods and more.”
Cheri added: “My client and I have been able to establish a respectful and trusting relationship for the years we have worked together. This has helped us work through changes successfully throughout her journey.” Brenda explained that Cheri started working for Home Instead in 2019, took a brief break and returned to Home Instead in May 2023. “She started caring for a wife and husband in 2019. She has made quite an impact,” Brenda said.
While clients seem like family members in the professional senior care realm to Cheri, she also gave a shout-out to her own family.
“My family is certainly a motivator in my life. My girls are 17 and 15. They are smart, beautiful and have strong personalities. My husband and I are currently working on opportunities to help our girls achieve their future goals. As a mom, being on a developing journey to watch them blossom is such a beautiful rewarding gift. I’m truly blessed,” Cheri said.
From family caregiving to professional senior care, Cheri has spent her life giving back to others. “I am someone who has just loved on people my whole adult life. I have always had a passion for people and serving them,” Cheri said. In 2015, her grandfather was diagnosed with cancer and chose to have in-home hospice. Cheri explained: “I had the opportunity to assist my mom with his care during this process. The care I provided for Grandpa was companionship, feeding assistance, cleaning his home, bathing and making sure his other needs were met.”
Cheri returned to school when she was 25 years old to learn more about the human body and how to properly care for people. “Before becoming a Home Instead Care Pro, I had my own home business,” Cheri said. “After losing my mama, suddenly working from home was no longer a good fit for me. I felt a need to give to the community. I noticed a caregiving position open with a small ‘like-home’ facility.”
Two weeks after taking the job, Cheri was promoted to assistant manager. Then six months later, Cheri became the administrator after her people skills, knowledge, dedication and work ethic were recognized and rewarded. “But I found that being an administrator was not a good fit for me. The reason for that was because the priorities I set – including putting clients, residents and staff first – were not aligned with the company,” Cheri said. “I moved forward working with individuals with developmental disabilities, which was an incredibly rewarding field. But I found there were priorities again that did not align, and I went home daily with a heavy heart.”
Enter Home Instead. Cheri had known about Home Instead from being in the caregiving field. While looking on an internet job site, Indeed.com, she found that the franchise was looking for Care Pros. The job has been a good fit.
“I have never felt so valued, appreciated and respected since I started working at the age of 16. I simply cannot say enough about the staff and clients. This is what ‘team’ truly looks like and feels like,” Cheri said. “I love the individual care I am able to provide, and I am able to truly focus on that responsibility. I go home feeling as if I am truly doing my part to make a difference in the community.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (720) 890-0184 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
