Claire DeVitto’s journey to the Home Instead® franchise of Boulder, Broomfield and northwest Adams Counties began thousands of miles away and more than 20 years ago. The Home Instead Care Professional of the Month enrolled for a nursing program in 2002 after taking care of her mother-in-law who had pancreatic cancer in 2000. “My mother-in-law encouraged me to pursue my dream of earning my nurse’s diploma and leave my 25-year computer programming career behind,” the United Kingdom native explained.
“I had started nurse training when I left school in South Africa but did not complete it, so it was something to which I had always wanted to return. I qualified for nurse training again in 2005 and completed my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2007 in England. I worked in women’s health and moved into orthopedic outpatients until I retired in 2016,” Claire said.
“Caring for patients was always something I enjoyed. As a fulltime working mother of three, I have always kept busy. My children now live in Canada, New Zealand and here. With six grandchildren among them, I love to travel to see them regularly. I also love to visit my mum in the United Kingdom. She lives near my sister.”
Claire arrived in Colorado in February 2016 to live closer to her daughter and her family in Lyons. Claire’s daughter sponsored her to come to America when Claire retired as a registered nurse in the United Kingdom in early 2016. Claire became a U.S. citizen last November. In October 2022, Claire joined owner Michael Lammers’ award-winning Home Instead franchise based in Louisville, Colorado.
In August, Claire was honored as the Home Instead franchise’s Care Pro of the Month. Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Brenda Munro said: “This lovely lady from England, who has a fabulous accent, has been amazing from the start. She is a natural Care Pro whom all of our clients love. She receives compliments from every client she helps. Once, a client’s daughter called to ask us to thank Claire for the flowers she brought her mom to her shift from her own garden. She’s reliable, dependable and just an amazing Care Pro, employee and person.”
Claire said: “With my nursing background, I’ve enjoyed going into clients who need a bit more help. There’s a paraplegic gentleman, Mr. D., for whom I have done some extra shifts recently. I really enjoy helping his wife and him during my six hours with them. I also have a regular evening shift once a week with a sweet lady in Lafayette. My time with her has become a regular dinner date as I like to cook a meal for us to share together, and she really enjoys that too.”
Claire added: “This client has gotten me into watching Rockies baseball games, Nuggets basketball games and Broncos football games with her, and I’m beginning to understand the rules now, including the scoring. I think having this kind of interaction with people has helped me feel more settled in my new home, too.”
Among Claire’s first regular clients is Ms. M., whose fantastic sense of humor, with a self-deprecating tingle, has enlivened their time together. “My favorite story has got to be when Ms. M. asked me one day: ‘What’s that thing I’ve got? Oh yes, that’s right! Dementia!’ Her comment also made her family laugh. Bless her sweet heart, she and I share so many laughs. She reminds me each time I take her anywhere in my car – she asks, ‘Have you noted your mileage?’ ”
Added Claire: “We do puzzles together, and she loves to paint with me, too. We go out for drives to see the mountains, eat ice cream or just to get an Arby’s roast beef sandwich and gravy dip. I help her shower during every visit. I’ve learned to pin curl her hair after washing it and even took her to the hairdresser’s shop recently. We have a lot of good chats too about her dementia and the implications of it. We just get on so well. It’s nice.”
There are other aspects of the job that Claire loves. “Among the positives, one of the big ones has got to be the flexibility and the people at the office. I feel I’ve made good friends there, and I’m part of a great team of professionals. I’m never just a number like I was in my hospital job. With Home Instead, I feel heard and very much appreciated. They have brought out the best in me, and I love my work with the clients.”
Claire said she is grateful to Scheduling Coordinator Gloria, who is understanding about Claire’s decisions regarding extra shifts. “I work only 16 hours a week regularly in order to help with extra shifts when possible. I feel I can say no when I can’t do anything to help, and the office staff is always so appreciative when I can help. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the whole office, and I can honestly say this is probably the happiest I’ve ever been in a job in my whole career. I enjoy it so much!” Claire said.
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.
