Tabitha Showed Natural Caregiving Ability as a Youngster
Ask Tabitha Vain’s kid sister about her fondest childhood memories, and she’ll tell you: “Tabitha was the one who raised me. She is 9 years older than I am, and she took charge. Even our mother, who was busy with a demanding job, thought Tabitha was a natural caregiver.”
More than 30 years later, Tabitha is still building trust, taking the lead and sharing her heart, with her own family that includes six children and in her senior-care job as a Home Instead® CAREGiver. Her employer is an award-winning franchise that serves Mooresville, Statesville and Taylorsville and the surrounding areas. Tracey and Creighton Gibson are the Home Instead co-owners, and Heather Oland is the general manager. Engagement Coordinator Darla Corah announced Tabitha’s February honor as CAREGiver of the Month. “Tabitha treats her clients as if they were extended family,” Darla said.
Tabitha is excelling as a Home Instead CAREGiver while she and her husband manage their household that includes four teenagers, with a 5-year-old as the youngest child. “When I joined Home Instead in July 2020, I initially had been looking for jobs where I could work from home. Home Instead’s flexibility is incredible. I love working for them for a number of reasons besides their flexibility. I love helping people — that’s just who I am – and I like helping the elderly. The office staff is good to work with because it cares about me. The office staff even talks with me if I have frustrations. They will listen and give suggestions,” Tabitha said.
Home Instead’s training and orientation, Tabitha said, helped her learn techniques such as positioning clients in the wheelchair, and the use of gait belts and Hoyer lifts. “I have a Wednesday morning client who requires the use of a Hoyer lift because she has no use of her legs. Once she is in her wheelchair, she is pretty independent,” Tabitha explained.
She divides her caregiving among three regular clients and tries to help Home Instead’s schedulers by taking extra shifts when possible. “I work six days a week, sometimes seven. It helps that my husband works from home, and he’s such a good guy,” Tabitha said. “I try to remain very flexible on the weekends.”
As Tabitha gets to know her clients as if they were family, she helps them in ways that only family could. Many times, she finds that nothing beats simple pleasures for a client. With her 93-year-old Friday client, just getting outside on her back porch and experiencing the fresh air for an hour or two is huge. “I take her outside in her wheelchair if the weather is nice. She likes to take a book of crossword puzzles outside and work on them. I make sure I grab her sunglasses and water. She is a widow who is super sweet.”
Tabitha added: “She looks forward to lunch and always calls it ‘amazing’ no matter what I prepare for her. Again, simple and uncomplicated fills the bill. Her usual meal is a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce. Add a handful of walnuts, a half a pear, tapioca pudding and a celery stick. She is a very healthy lady, but she has a chronically sore knee. With her using a walker, we walk around the house for a few steps at a time, and I am right behind her. She stops and looks out the windows. Her routines are very comforting for her. It’s all about the client. It’s what they want.”
Tabitha sees all kinds of possibilities when she looks to the future. “I will soon start school to learn medical billing and medical transcription methods in a 10-month online course. I also am considering CNA classes at a community college, and that sounds as if it would be exciting and helpful for furthering my senior care knowledge. For sure, I do want the medical billing, and I want to stay with Home Instead,” she said.
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (704) 924-9909 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
