Yvonne Dedicates Her Efforts to Her Late Mother
Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Yvonne Khadian has devoted her life’s work to her late mother. When Yvonne moved to the United States in 2018, it was difficult to leave her mother, who had reached an advanced age but was still strong and lived alone with the help of family. Yvonne was part of that family caregiving team before she left for America.
“My mom passed away suddenly in early 2019, and I was devastated. I felt I had left her alone to die and was not around to offer her care. I have therefore dedicated this work as an honor to my mom,” said Yvonne, who joined Home Instead of Philadelphia, an award-winning franchise owned by Steve Levin, in November 2021. Many have offered words of comfort, in essence emphasizing Yvonne could never had anticipated the timing of her mother’s passing. Family and friends encouraged Yvonne to hold tightly to her good memories of her mother.
If Yvonne’s mother could see her now, she would be proud. In September 2022, Home Instead General Manager Charlea Lyn Grieco announced Yvonne had been honored as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month. “Yvonne is among the amazing ladies we have chosen to honor at Home Instead,” Charlea said. “Yvonne displays Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ ”
Yvonne made a major career shift before coming to Home Instead, where she arrived after relocating to Philadelphia five months earlier. “I had a customer-service retail job. Even though I had the valuable work experience and was good at the job, I was not satisfied. I saw a Home Instead television commercial and decided to apply,” Yvonne explained.
She added, “I believe my purpose is to offer care or service to people. It’s not really something I chose but rather something that chose me.”
To enter professional caregiving, Yvonne had to make that course change from her previous successful job experiences. For more than 20 years, Yvonne had worked as an administrative assistant and then customer-service representative at various levels.
“I really loved my job and received satisfaction from knowing I provided the best care possible to my customers. I tried to be available whenever possible to assist my co-workers, friends or family in any situation. I was always involved in some way in resolving personal issues. No matter the job, I have always provided all the help I can, and I love when people around me are happy and cared for,” Yvonne said.
Yvonne’s life began to pivot when a friend asked for her assistance for one week with a private-duty caregiving case in which her friend was helping a woman. “I must admit I was really scared because I didn’t know what to expect. But, I am pleased to say, it worked out well, and I was proud of the work I did!” Yvonne said. As a result, Yvonne sought training and certification as a Home Health Aide (HHA). “I did not work fully as an HHA upon certification, but I continued to assist my friend on an as-needed basis,” Yvonne recalled.
Yvonne also enrolled in a nine-month, part-time program and earned her Medical Assistant certification while she also continued to work in retail. During her internship, Yvonne worked as a Medical Assistant at a clinic where she took patients’ vital signs, scheduled appointments, performed phlebotomy and other duties. “I took a full-time job at a small nursing home but left after two months. I then cared for an elderly gentleman for several months as a private-duty caregiver until, sadly, he passed away,” Yvonne said.
Referring to Home Instead, Yvonne said: “I hadn’t previously worked with an agency. But, based on feedback from friends and acquaintances, I was pleasantly surprised at the level of professionalism, friendliness and care I have experienced since my first contact with Home Instead.”
She added: “I like working with different clients because I treat each one as an opportunity to learn something and help someone new. I love each of my clients, and it is always interesting to learn about them. It is heartwarming to know that, along with their families, you are helping to keep them happy, safe and comfortable.”
For Yvonne and her fellow Care Pros, touching lives impacts their souls, whether they are providing physical help such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, medication reminders or personal care or if they are offering emotional support in a companionship role.
Yvonne loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the Philadelphia franchise, a member of a network comprised of Home Instead, Inc. and its parent company, Honor. With the world’s largest home-care network and the most advanced care platform, Honor and Home Instead are revolutionizing care for older adults, their families and Care Pros. Combined, the network has more than 100,000 Care Pros across 13 countries, meeting the growing needs of millions of older adults and their families worldwide.
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (215) 925-4610 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
