Before Joining Home Instead, Mona Asked God to Send the Right Job
At times, Mona Russell’s life has not been easy, but she believes she has been blessed since going to work for Home Instead® of Lubbock since Sept. 2, 2020.
“This job was meant to be. I had desperately been searching for a job for almost three years. I had been praying to find a job, with no results, so I changed my prayer and asked God to send me the job He wanted me to have. Three days later, I was contacted by email concerning a Home Instead CAREGiver position. Ultimately, I was offered a position, which I gladly accepted,” said Mona, referring to the award-winning Home Instead franchise owned by Tracy and Terry Baugh.
Among her previous jobs, Mona had worked for seven years as case manager at a 54-bed facility for individuals with mental challenges. Later, she worked at a truck-driving school for 15 years as the office manager and recruiter. The owners sold the school to a corporation that drastically consolidated and trimmed its workforce. Both Mona and her late husband were laid off.
“I was given five days’ notice. My late husband had been with the company for 20 years. When we were laid off, he had just been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and we had no insurance. So, we turned our living room into a hospital room for my husband, and my kids and I took care of him,” Mona explained.
Following her husband’s death, Mona’s mother had to go into a nursing home. Soon after admittance, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. “I went to the nursing home daily and stayed with her so she wasn’t alone. I also raised four kids. In telling my story about life before Home Instead, I want everyone to know I don’t want them to feel sorry for me. It’s just what happened. All you can do is keep trusting in the Lord,” Mona said.
Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Juanita Camacho said Mona has been a blessing to the franchise staff, Home Instead’s clients and the clients’ families. “What can I say about Mona? She’s amazing, kind, sincere and compassionate. She has a beautiful servant’s heart. Mona’s dedication and commitment to our clients and Home Instead are proved by her desire to meet all of our clients’ needs,” Juanita said.
“Mona has a calm demeanor, and she immediately makes our clients feel at ease. Mona’s positive attitude is absolutely uplifting. Mona exhibits a confidence in her desire to care for our clients that brings a peace of mind to the clients and their families. Mona is an intent listener who gives her full attention to our clients’ most urgent and personal needs. Mona communicates well with the clients, their families and the office. She makes sure our office is aware of any changes in our clients’ conditions, physical, mental or spiritual.”
Juanita added: “It was my pleasure to name Mona as our March CAREGiver of the Month. She was overwhelmed by being honored as one of our CAREGivers of the Month. It warms my heart when CAREGivers are so gracious and humble.”
Mona said: “I think there are so many CAREGivers who probably deserve this honor much more than I do. I tried to talk our Home Instead staff out of choosing me for CAREGiver of the Month, but I was told they see me differently than I see myself in a sense that I feel I’m just doing my job. While I am honored to be chosen, I really am used to staying in the background.”
When asked what she likes best about her job, Mona said: “I really enjoy making the clients laugh, taking them on short rides and getting them to tell me about their lives. Some clients seem to be very lonely. Home Instead affords us the opportunity to take care of them as well as cater to their emotional and physical needs. During my life, I have found that most people just want to be heard, so I try to listen.”
The client in one of Mona’s favorite memories passed away recently. The client’s daughter often bought cookies for her mother from a bakery that makes fantastic specialty cookies. “My client was ‘addicted’ to those cookies and wanted them very frequently. The week before she passed away, she asked me to get cookies for her. When we got back from our trip to the bakery, she sat in her recliner and munched on the cookies until she was full. She smiled at me, told me ‘thank you’ and had a big streak of icing just above her upper lip,” Mona said fondly.
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (806) 281-4663 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
