Tiffany Views Her Client and His Wife as ‘Grandparents’
Tiffany Hopkins fell in love with caregiving long ago. At age 12, she began helping her great-grandmother in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. She later took care of her grandmother and her boyfriend’s grandmother. A feeling of family caregiving permeated each situation, and that sense of compassionate care has carried over to Tiffany’s years of successful service with Home Instead® of Philadelphia since 2019, when she moved to Pennsylvania.
“I no longer have grandparents. They’ve been gone for a while. I treat my 79-year-old client and his lovely wife as if they were my grandparents because I feel that way about them. They are like family because the bonding has been strong since I started helping him in December 2022. His wife, who is not a client, also takes care of him, and it feels like good teamwork between the two of us. It is wonderful, just a pleasure to help him – and during the process – assist his wife by what I do for him,” said Tiffany, whose exceptional work has not gone unnoticed. She was honored as the franchise’s Care Professional of the Month for October 2024.
The client’s wife is effusive in her praise for Tiffany, revealing: “I like to call Tiffany my ‘left-hand man’ because we are both left-handed. She is very competent, and she shows compassion and empathy when caring for my husband. Tiffany recently learned a routine quickly and has often graciously added her input to help make the day run smoother and safely.”
The client’s wife said she and Tiffany work together seamlessly. “Tiffany has integrity, and she respects my personal space and my way of doing things,” the client’s wife said. “I also respect and appreciate her opinion if we sometimes need to ‘tweak’ our schedule to make improvements. If things need to change because of how the day is going, Tiffany has the flexibility and mind-set to accommodate the change.”
The client’s wife added: “Tiffany is proactive, and she makes sure there is consistency without me having to tell her what has to be done on a daily basis. I feel very comfortable leaving for the day because I am confident my husband will be well taken care of. It gives me great peace of mind knowing I do not have to worry. Tiffany demonstrates genuine concern and kindness. She also watches out for me so I don’t injure myself while taking care of my husband. It is very much appreciated.”
Credit one of Tiffany’s family members for pointing her to the award-winning Home Instead franchise co-owned by Chief Executive Officer Steve Levin and Chief Operations Officer Charlea Lyn Grieco five years ago. “One of my aunts worked for Home Instead. She thought Home Instead would be a good place for me to work. My aunt later moved out of Philadelphia, so she’s no longer with Home Instead,” said Tiffany, who also previously served as a private-duty caregiver before arriving at Home Instead.
Tiffany said Home Instead has been a good fit for her. “I like working for Home Instead. They are flexible with hours, and they are very understanding. If you have an emergency, they will have someone else fill in while you handle it. If you want more hours, you can have them. That’s also true if you want fewer hours,” Tiffany explained.
“I do like this job. I can see myself doing this for a while. I want to remain with the client and help him. I feel an obligation to him that goes beyond the job parameters. It’s important for me to be with him and his wife for my four-day work weeks.”
Home Instead Human Resources Generalist Janelle Muhlanga, who announced Tiffany’s award, said: “Tiffany embodies our guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ Among the considerations for achieving Care Pro of the Month status, an employee has shown that she has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Empathy and compassion are taken into account, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations.”
The client’s wife offered a final compliment for Tiffany: “I want Tiffany to know how grateful I am for her help, and how invaluable she is to our family.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (215) 925-4610 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
