Trina Describes Client’s Situation: ‘We’re Her Family’
Trina Kinard isn’t just an award-winning Care Professional at Home Instead® of Philadelphia. She is like a family member to an 83-year-old bedfast client. “She has no children and no husband. We’re the family, myself and other Care Pros,” said Trina, who has worked overnight hours with the client since May 2024.
Although the client has memory challenges, she always recognizes Trina and is happy to see her because they bonded fairly quickly. “She is interesting. She notices little things and asks me questions. For instance, she knows when I am early for my shifts,” Trina explained. “She likes to engage me in conversation. She loves CNN – that’s all she watches. I laugh at her comments that are generated by watching their programming. She has her favorite conversational subjects, including one national politician. She is hilarious and cracks jokes about him.”
While the client finds humor in the TV shows, she is glad she can leave the serious stuff to Trina and appreciates the care she receives. Trina said: “Providing outstanding care is important to me. The bottom line is I’d want someone good to take care of me when my time comes. I put myself in their shoes. Our clients have lost their independence and are sometimes embarrassed by some aspects of their lives. It’s not their fault. It’s the aging process or disease. I believe seniors deserve their dignity. Whatever the care is, I am careful to explain everything I am doing.”
Trina described a typical night for her client: “She sleeps well. She maybe calls me once or twice a night. Otherwise, I generally check on her three to four times a night. We have the same team of six Care Pros helping her, and we keep a journal and communicate with each other. You write your notes and also look at what has happened before you arrived.”
Trina’s care for her client is not unlike the assistance Trina provides for her 89-year-old bedbound grandmother four times a week. “The difference is that my client can help me with her care. She moves her arms and head, and my grandmother is unable to do that. My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2012,” Trina said. “I go to my grandmother as soon as I end my shift with my client, and I generally spend 3½ hours with her. By doing so, I am helping my aunt, who is the primary family caregiver.”
The title of “family caregiver” actually fit Trina when she was only 12 years old. “As a family caregiver, I helped my mother take care of my great-grandmother. I went there two or three times a month. Among other things, I cleaned her home. I loved listening to my great-grandmother’s stories, which were memorable. Older people are funny. They are like kids in a sense they are totally honest and don’t care that they are. To me, that’s just fine. I have good conversations with my seniors. I am a caring person who gets attached to my clients. They are like family. I am a very nurturing person. That’s just a given for me,” Trina said.
In April 2024, Trina joined the Home Instead franchise in downtown Philadelphia, which is co-owned by Chief Executive Officer Steve Levin and Chief Operations Officer Charlea Lyn Grieco. “I found Home Instead on Indeed.com. I’ve been doing this off and on for the past 30 years. I started this journey in high school, where a CNA-senior care curriculum was part of the high school electives that were offered. I really liked it. I certainly have a heart for dementia clients. In fact, I worked for 2½ years in a memory care unit,” Trina said.
In September 2024, Human Resources Generalist Janelle Muhlanga announced Trina had been selected as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month. Empathy and compassion are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations. Home Instead’s guiding principles are “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart,” and it’s easy to see that Trina fulfills each one.
“I like Home Instead and want to stay with them. I am trying to strike a balance between my Home Instead work, which I love, and my family caregiving obligations. I am wary of burning out, so I am careful to take care of myself. If I don’t, I can’t take care of others. I do know this is what I was meant to do,” Trina said.
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.
