Cora: The Lord Put It on My Mind to Be of Service to Others
Looking back on her 70 years, Cora Cauthen thoughtfully paused and revealed, “God changed my mind when I was very young. That’s when I learned to think about helping others instead of thinking of myself most of the time. The Lord put it on my mind to be of service to others. Since then, my primary train of thought has been, ‘Life is not about me. It’s about lifting up others.”
The Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month for September added: “Some people can’t do that kind of work where you’re helping someone else get through life, including senior care. Where you are having to help someone with personal care, it took God to get me to that point, and it is no problem now. I think about the other person’s dignity, just think about how humbling it might be to them.”
Before joining Home Instead of Mount Airy, North Carolina, during the spring of 2024, Cora had worked for the past 6½ years with the mentally challenged. “Overall, including private-duty work,” Cora said, “I’ve been doing this kind of work for 20 or 30 years. In one of my job responsibilities, I was given a senior citizen and retiree program to handle.
“Most recently, I worked for a business that had 12 group homes, but that company eventually sold them all one by one, and the employment situation became muddled, a real mess for all of us workers. When I started job hunting, I got a lot of offers. I didn’t want to do the ‘third shift’ or work weekends anymore. I am very active in my church and recently became an elder, so my responsibilities increased within the congregation.”
Cora said she was thankful to find the Home Instead franchise owned by Van and Ann Lankford. Before applying at Home Instead, Cora often drove past its franchise office and saw the Home Instead sign. “I also saw advertising for Home Instead. My neighbor worked for Home Instead, and when I became interested in applying, I talked to her about it,” Cora explained. Among the positive aspects, Cora pointed out: “Home Instead’s flexibility is good, and I enjoy the clients.”
The Home Instead job is in Cora’s wheelhouse. “I love taking care of older people. I’ve always had a heart for this work. My message to seniors is: ‘You are loved. You are important. You are always on my heart.’ I am an advocate for the needy,” said Cora, who recalled a former boss’s compliment about Cora’s willingness to go to bat for people who cannot handle life on their own. “You cannot have a cold heart and do this work.”
Cora’s professionalism allows her to strike a work balance. “I get somewhat attached to my seniors, but try not to get too extremely attached. I approach each situation with straight talk, and seniors appreciate that. They look forward to seeing my arrival. There have been no arguments. They trust my judgment. Their families know I want the best for their senior loved ones. When something happens that needs to be taken care of, I do it as quickly as possible. For instance, a client told me ‘the television went out.’ Whatever it was, I did some troubleshooting and got it back up and running. My responsibility is to do everything right for them.”
Cora added: “One client can’t cook. I tell them I’ll take care of it. That’s what I’m here for. One client loves to have me eat with her. As far as independence goes, I don’t overstep my bounds. A client once wanted to help me put the clean sheets on her bed. I allowed her to do it, and we worked as a team. It boosts her self-confidence. One client stays in bed, and that’s where you’ve got to show your love and concern even more. My clients are good people.”
One of Cora’s client has dementia, and her short-term memory is getting worse. Cora said: “She is close to needing a higher level of care. She has repetitive stories, but that is not a problem for me. I just listen to what she’s got to say. You bring them comfort when you listen to them. I also tell the clients, no matter what it is, I got it – that’s what I am here for. One client puts on Christian music when she has lunch and tells me about her church.”
Cora’s first client passed away unexpectedly. “It is hard to lose a client. She was a Christian who was intensely interested in the Bible. I left her on a Friday, she passed away unexpectedly the next day and her son called me on Sunday. God helped me process the grief. I still remember her and the things we said and did. It was a big shock. We had always sat and talked. She was a really sweet lady,” Cora said. “I am a Christian, so I have an understanding about death and the need to go on. I jump right back into my work because there are needs of others to tend to.”
In many ways, Cora views her job as a mission field. “Although everyone wants to be fairly compensated, I don’t do this solely for the pay. It’s about the heart. I’ll keep doing this job as long as I can. I don’t feel 70. God helps me in spirit.”
