Susana Alva was a highly acclaimed quality assurance leader for a Fortune 100 company with 30 years of experience in the field, including numerous certifications and licenses. To say Susana has a sharp eye for attention to detail would be an understatement.
She also has a big heart, having volunteered as a back-to-school programs leader that supported Hispanic children’s education, which included developing bilingual books and education material to enable bilingual communication skills between parents and their children.
Susana is now an award-winning Care Professional for Home Instead® of Martinsburg, having been honored as Care Pro of the Month for April. Just about every nugget of knowledge and experience that Susana acquired before joining owner Keith Clay’s Home Instead franchise in August 2020 has been put to use as an exemplary senior-care specialist.
Over the course of her work career, Susana’s stated goals have included:
- “Make a positive difference in everything I do.”
- “Always follow principles.”
- “Do your best!”
- “Remain open to always learn and look for the possibilities and opportunities ahead.”
- “Aim to be a quality leader, a problem-solver and a perseverant. Work well with others.”
- “Seek to be passionate about capability, helping others and building relationships.”
Susana’s work career goals roughly line up with Home Instead’s three primary attributes for outstanding caregiving, which are simply: “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.” Perhaps the clients can feel Susana’s compassion and empathy on the days she shows up to assist them. Those are two of the characteristics that are evaluated when a Care Pro is considered for the employee of the month award.
Of course, there are others.
Has the Care Pro gone above and beyond the call of duty? Does the Care Pro possess the skills and wisdom to be highly successful? Is the Care Pro exceptional at her work with any client? Finally, does the Care Pro focus on Home Instead’s training, processes and procedures of successful caregiving? In other words, does the Care Pro work at getting better? For Home Instead General Manager Allyson Starling, the answers were a resounding “yes.”
In addition to professional senior care, Susana, who found Home Instead online, is a family caregiver. “I do take care of my parents,” she said.
When asked what she likes most about being a Home Instead Care Professional, Susana said: “I do know elderly people need help, and I wanted to help others. I feel very humbled to give them true care with compassion.” She added: “My client is very sweet and smart, and I learn from her life stories and experiences.”
For Susana 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.
Susana loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the West Virginia 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.
