Mother Set Kowesha on Path of Compassionate Work
As a young girl, Kowesha sometimes tagged along with her mother when she went to her job as a nursing-home chef. “As Mom would prepare meals, I’d hang out with the seniors. It was a joy to be around kindhearted people who just happen to be seniors,” Kowesha recalled. She never lost her fondness for the elderly, and years later Kowesha joined owner Glenna Yaroch’s award-winning Home Instead® franchise that serves North Oakland County, including Waterford.
“With Home Instead,” Kowesha explained, “I got the chance to help seniors in the way I always hoped to. The story behind working for Home Instead is that ever since I was a child, I just had a passion to help others.”
A little more than two years ago, Kowesha found Home Instead on Indeed.com. It was a good job fit. “My work background always has revolved around helping people in some way, from being a waiter to working in retail and to serving food in a retirement home,” she said.
In addition to her jobs, Kowesha has served as a family caregiver. “When my grandmother and mom were in a car accident years ago, I helped them with a lot of things such as eating – I cooked for them. I just helped them in as many ways as I could. I performed many of the same tasks I do now as a Home Instead CAREGiver,” Kowesha said.
“I believe I was called to help people, and I’m so glad I get to do that by working for Home Instead. During my time with Home Instead, I have loved every moment of it. Just to connect with wonderful seniors who you can help in their time of need is amazing.”
To spotlight her excellence, the Home Instead franchise honored Kowesha as one of its CAREGivers of the Month. Home Instead General Manager Gail M. Wilk said: “Kowesha is one of four CAREGivers who we honored recently as CAREGivers of the Month. All of them are so dependable and always willing to help us in a pinch. These CAREGivers of the Month are loved by their clients, and I have never heard anyone say anything negative about them or the standard of work they provide. We are so pleased to have Kowesha on our team.”
Describing her fulfillment as a Home Instead CAREGiver, Kowesha said: “What I like the most about my job as a CAREGiver is that I can be of service to those who need help. Being CAREGiver may have its ups and downs just like any other job. But I can honestly say that 95 percent of the time, I can generate a positivity with the client and can leave the shift with smile on my face. That’s because of the wonderful seniors I’ve come across who care for me just as much as I care for them.”
A Home Instead client’s big heart and caring nature was on display one day when Kowesha found herself in an unexpected predicament.
“One of my favorite stories about a Home Instead client is when I had horrible migraine and had to wait for a replacement for my shift. As I was waiting, my client was consistently checking on me and asking if I needed anything, even recommending that I would lie down until Home Instead could send someone to cover the rest of my shift,” Kowesha said.
“Of course, I declined to lie down, but just to know that clients care about us CAREGivers just as much as we care about them is a reward in itself. It makes the job of being a CAREGiver worth holding onto because of the relationships we build. The hearts of the clients are the true reason why I enjoy what I do.”
Kowesha is among more than 100,000 CAREGivers worldwide, and she has helped add to those numbers because of her strong belief in Home Instead’s purpose. It isn’t hard to see Kowesha lives the Home Instead principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (248) 886-7300 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
