For Debbie Hutchens, “retirement” actually meant redirecting her efforts to find another way to help people. Debbie admittedly had gotten burned out after working as a registered nurse for 20 years. “I was put on this Earth to make a positive difference in others’ lives. Home Instead ® has helped me find a way to enjoy it as one of its Care Professionals,” Debbie said. Ironically, she had been serving as the director of a skilled-nursing unit from which she had recommended Home Instead of Mount Airy to patients who were being dismissed and needed in-home care. “After I had retired as the skilled-nursing unit director, I wanted a part-time job, one that I could enjoy. Home Instead is a well-known company in Mount Airy, especially in the health-care community. Home Instead is well-respected and professional. That’s why I chose them,” Debbie explained. Van Lankford, co-owner of the Home Instead franchise with his wife Ann, provided more background on his franchise’s serendipitous hiring of Debbie. “I first met and got to know Debbie when she was the director of the skilled-nursing unit at an area hospital. The hospital has been so good to refer its patients to us over the years,” Van recalled. “After Debbie retired, she walked into our office one day and was looking for a way to give back and care for people in her post-retirement years. I told her then and tell her often that I am so honored she came to work at Home Instead. It is a great compliment to us when those to whom we market our services join our team, or when a referral provider calls us about services for a patient or family member,” explained Van, whose award-winning franchise opened in Mount Airy on May 16, 2011. Debbie recalled her other circumstances in the years before joining Home Instead. “I pretty much had worked 24/7 at the end as a registered nurse. I was a widow, and my kids were grown. Most of the time, it was just me and Jesus. And that was five years ago. I’m just fine. Circumstances change. For one, I’ve worked for Home Instead for eight months,” Debbie said.
In March 2023, Home Instead Staff Coordinator Sharon Bledsoe announced Debbie had been honored as the franchise’s Care Professional of the Month. “As a staff, we were excited to select Debbie as our Care Pro of the Month. We were even more thrilled to learn Debbie also was excited to hear our news. She is so deserving,” Sharon said. Empathy and compassion are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations.
Debbie embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.” It is easy to see the fulfillment Debbie receives from working one-on-one with her clients. “My current regular client is a 95-year-old gentleman who is a great storyteller. He has known so many people and traveled all over the world. Every day with him is interesting,” Debbie said. Debbie loves being a part of the Care Pro team for the North Carolina 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. All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (336) 789-4472 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
