Olamide Oyenuga is a college-educated journalist and was a highly regarded professional in Nigeria, but she always has been a caregiver at heart. “You could say that, to me, it’s personal. I have loved caring for people since my childhood because it gives me the utmost joy,” said Olamide, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications at a university in her homeland and worked as both a print-media and broadcast journalist in Nigeria. If there were such a thing, Olamide would have earned a master’s degree in family caregiving earlier in life.
As a family caregiver, Olamide was praised for compassionately taking excellent care of her siblings, nieces and nephews as if they were her own children. “I did not leave out my neighbors from my caregiving because caring and sharing is so pleasurable to me. It is an ingrained trait, one that ‘oils my engine’ to do more. It was the same caring spirit that made me follow the same trend when I arrived in the United States. You see, it is in my blood because I’ve been working at professional caregiving for six years,” said Olamide, who in 2016 joined the Home Instead® franchise that is owned by Mechelle and David Minter and serves central Houston.
Caregiving was modeled for Olamide. “First, I grew up in a home where my parents fancied giving and sharing in the same way my grandparents from both sides also did. Emulating such gestures inspired me. I went miles to care for my grandparents anytime we visited them for the holidays. I would also make sure I checked on my grandparents daily,” Olamide said.
She shared an especially close bond with her paternal grandmother. “I lived with her for a while. I cooked, did her laundry, fixed her hair, went to doctors’ appointments with her, made sure she took her medicine and assisted with all of her daily activities. Sadly, she became seriously sick at one point and passed away. I have also been my mum’s and dad’s caregiver. I attended medical appointments with them, made sure they took their medicine and provided financial support for them,” Olamide explained.
“When my mom had a medical procedure, I was with her and took note of the discharge instructions. I took charge of her incision dressing until it was fully healed. All of that made me develop a full interest in becoming a caregiver, not to just my family but to people at large.”
The first type of job on Olamide’s mind when she arrived in Houston was one where she “could care for people who needed help with day-to-day activities.” She took a caregiving job, but it wasn’t providing enough hours, so Olamide sought an additional job.
“I was searching for that second job along with my CNA colleague Shiprah. She found Home Instead’s South Loop West location (the Minters’ franchise) and was hired. She urged me to apply. I did, and I got a phone call and an email within a short period for the interview. I was hired. Since then, it has been a huge blessing to work with Home Instead. I have referred people to work for Home Instead,” Olamide said.
In October 2022, Home Instead Recruiting and Engagement Coordinator Kelly Lewis announced Olamide had been honored as the franchise’s Care Professional of the Month for the third quarter. “My job gives me the rare opportunities to help people and gives me great fulfillment. I feel contentment about being able to put smile on faces. To me, doing the Care Pro job is like fueling the energy in me to do more and better. The job has impacted me in a positive way because I am acquiring more knowledge on how to do better in the line of duty,” Olamide said.
“A good example of fueling my inner drive is the monthly Empower class. It has really enhanced my caregiving skills, and I implore my fellow Care Pros to be up to date by learning from the Empower video. It is educational. With that information, we Care Pros always should be able to carry out our tasks in a professional manner. I wish to say thank you to Mechelle and David for trusting me with their clients and for having me as part of their team. I also extend my thanks to Kelly and Leah because they are doing a good job. Not leaving behind my colleagues in praise, I wish to thank them for their teamwork. I appreciate y’all!”
Olamide had worked with sweet and loving clients, and the memories still linger:
- “Mr. U. always looked forward to my arrival so we could watch movies together. He’d tell stories of growing up, and about his work and family. He had a wonderful wife who’d welcome me with a beautiful smile. He always wanted to order a lunch for me along with his lunch. But I’d tell him, ‘Thank you. I brought my food.’ His kids were nice, always welcoming me and telling me, ‘Thank you for caring for our dad.’ ”
- “Another client, Ms. T., was a jolly lady. When I first arrived at her house, she took me on a tour and said she had made a bed especially for me. I thanked her, but I told her I would be fine sitting on the chair. She also took me to her pantry and refrigerator and told me to eat whatever I wanted. I thanked her and told her I’d always bring my own food and snacks. She had just wanted me to share what she had. She had a very large heart.”
- “I have been working with Ms. R. for almost four years. It has been a wonderful time. To assist her, I am on a terrific team. Another client, Ms. L., is also one of the sweetest souls to welcome us. She has a warm smile, sings and tells me ‘thank you’ at all time. She always is fun.”
Reinforcing her point that her work has given her great pleasure, Olamide said: “Part of my future plans is to own a foundation in the U.S. and in Nigeria that will help the needy in all of their circumstances. Nothing is better than assisting someone else.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (713) 403-2273 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
