“Ayma Thelus is genuine, kind and caring. She is someone we all can count on!” Those were Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator Margi Kenny’s words when she announced Ayma had been honored for the second time as the Home Instead® franchise’s CAREGiver of the Month. Ayma said: “I feel grateful to hear the news. It means a lot to hear my presence has made such an impact. I strive to make the clients happy by speaking to them as regular people, giving them their dignity and offering things they don’t usually bother to ask for.”
Ayma’s second honor came nearly seven years after the first one, and Margi said Ayma’s strong, consistent and compassionate work has never deviated from the top-notch care she has provided since arriving at the south-central Houston franchise in January 2013. “During Ayma’s eight years with Home Instead, she has primarily worked evening shifts,” Margi said.
“She has not worked with a lot of Home Instead clients. Rather, she has had a few long-term stints with the same clients. One of Ayma’s first clients was a bed-bound and wheelchair-bound client. The client also needed most types of personal care in order to stay healthy and remain home. Ayma took care of her for four years, a fairly long time for home care. That speaks volumes for Ayma’s relationship skills and bonding with her clients and her ability to keep them as healthy as possible,” Margi said.
That client, a woman in her 60s, had suffered a stroke and was trying to regain the use of the right side of her body. Ayma not only helped her with activities of daily living but encouraged her as she went through her physical therapy. Ayma recalled: “Some clients aren’t so nice at the beginning because they just don’t know you, but that was not the case with this woman. She loved having me there, and I loved helping her. I let her and her family know I was always there for her in any way I could help.”
Ayma has wanted to help people ever since her childhood days in Haiti, where she attended College Adventiste du Cap-Haitien as a teenager. “It’s like a combination high school and junior college,” Ayma explained. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a nurse. I did become a CNA after I moved to the U.S. in 2000, but I got married and had a family before I could work on becoming an RN. This is a good job because I like helping people first, then No. 2 comes the money. I would rather work to make my clients happy – that is the ultimate payment.”
The secret to being a CAREGiver, she confided, “is getting off to a fast start. If you can please someone in the first week, then you generally have won them over and it gets easier after that.” For Home Instead, Ayma has experienced a wide range of caregiving situations, from dementia clients to those who are returning from hospital stays and are trying to regain their independence. Ayma’s demeanor has been a factor in the clients’ recoveries. Client Care Coordinator and Office Manager Destiny Wesley said: “Ayma has the biggest, softest smile that you have ever seen, and it is very welcoming. She is one of our outstanding CAREGivers.”
Ayma’s current evening client and husband cannot say enough good things about her. She has been with them for more than three years. Margi said: “Ayma is as steady and solid an employee as you could hope for. She is rarely late and never misses a shift. Her clients have relied heavily on her for stable, quality care. While she is kind and soft-spoken, her actions speak volumes with her reliability and skills. She communicates with the staff when there is even the slightest change in her schedule or a health issue of which the staff needs to be aware.”
Margi and the Home Instead staff were thrilled when one of their CAREGivers – Ayma’s sister-in-law – told Ayma about owner Greg Mira-Gomez’s award-winning Home Instead franchise. Her sister-in-law suggested Home Instead because she really liked working for Home Instead. Ayma said, “My sister-in-law was right. Everybody in the office is so nice, and the training is good. My job has been a positive influence on my kids, too, because they can see what I do, yet my hours are flexible enough that I am able to spend a great amount of time with them.”
Ayma wants to continue as a CAREGiver, pointing out: “Home Instead is the kind, caring, compassionate and respectful workplace that has allowed me to feel like a member of the family. I love spending time to help people who can’t help themselves.”
Ayma’s Home Instead franchise serves Houston, Arcola, Bellaire, First Colony, Fresno, Greatwood, Iowa Colony, Lake Olympia, Meyer Park, Meyerland, Missouri City, Pearland, Quail Valley, Riverstone, Rosharon, Shadow Creek Ranch, Sienna Plantation, Stafford, Sugar Land, Sunnyside, Sweetwater, Thompsons and Westbury.
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 774-2215 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
Ayma’s second honor came nearly seven years after the first one, and Margi said Ayma’s strong, consistent and compassionate work has never deviated from the top-notch care she has provided since arriving at the south-central Houston franchise in January 2013. “During Ayma’s eight years with Home Instead, she has primarily worked evening shifts,” Margi said.
“She has not worked with a lot of Home Instead clients. Rather, she has had a few long-term stints with the same clients. One of Ayma’s first clients was a bed-bound and wheelchair-bound client. The client also needed most types of personal care in order to stay healthy and remain home. Ayma took care of her for four years, a fairly long time for home care. That speaks volumes for Ayma’s relationship skills and bonding with her clients and her ability to keep them as healthy as possible,” Margi said.
That client, a woman in her 60s, had suffered a stroke and was trying to regain the use of the right side of her body. Ayma not only helped her with activities of daily living but encouraged her as she went through her physical therapy. Ayma recalled: “Some clients aren’t so nice at the beginning because they just don’t know you, but that was not the case with this woman. She loved having me there, and I loved helping her. I let her and her family know I was always there for her in any way I could help.”
Ayma has wanted to help people ever since her childhood days in Haiti, where she attended College Adventiste du Cap-Haitien as a teenager. “It’s like a combination high school and junior college,” Ayma explained. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a nurse. I did become a CNA after I moved to the U.S. in 2000, but I got married and had a family before I could work on becoming an RN. This is a good job because I like helping people first, then No. 2 comes the money. I would rather work to make my clients happy – that is the ultimate payment.”
The secret to being a CAREGiver, she confided, “is getting off to a fast start. If you can please someone in the first week, then you generally have won them over and it gets easier after that.” For Home Instead, Ayma has experienced a wide range of caregiving situations, from dementia clients to those who are returning from hospital stays and are trying to regain their independence. Ayma’s demeanor has been a factor in the clients’ recoveries. Client Care Coordinator and Office Manager Destiny Wesley said: “Ayma has the biggest, softest smile that you have ever seen, and it is very welcoming. She is one of our outstanding CAREGivers.”
Ayma’s current evening client and husband cannot say enough good things about her. She has been with them for more than three years. Margi said: “Ayma is as steady and solid an employee as you could hope for. She is rarely late and never misses a shift. Her clients have relied heavily on her for stable, quality care. While she is kind and soft-spoken, her actions speak volumes with her reliability and skills. She communicates with the staff when there is even the slightest change in her schedule or a health issue of which the staff needs to be aware.”
Margi and the Home Instead staff were thrilled when one of their CAREGivers – Ayma’s sister-in-law – told Ayma about owner Greg Mira-Gomez’s award-winning Home Instead franchise. Her sister-in-law suggested Home Instead because she really liked working for Home Instead. Ayma said, “My sister-in-law was right. Everybody in the office is so nice, and the training is good. My job has been a positive influence on my kids, too, because they can see what I do, yet my hours are flexible enough that I am able to spend a great amount of time with them.”
Ayma wants to continue as a CAREGiver, pointing out: “Home Instead is the kind, caring, compassionate and respectful workplace that has allowed me to feel like a member of the family. I love spending time to help people who can’t help themselves.”
Ayma’s Home Instead franchise serves Houston, Arcola, Bellaire, First Colony, Fresno, Greatwood, Iowa Colony, Lake Olympia, Meyer Park, Meyerland, Missouri City, Pearland, Quail Valley, Riverstone, Rosharon, Shadow Creek Ranch, Sienna Plantation, Stafford, Sugar Land, Sunnyside, Sweetwater, Thompsons and Westbury.
All Home Instead CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 774-2215 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
