For a Home Instead® dementia client in Inez, Texas, Care Professional of the Month Michelle Bera is a VIP. That was confirmed after the client was hospitalized with pneumonia. She would not cooperate with her nurses, but when the client caught a glimpse of Michelle, her eyes lighted up and the nurses’ treatments were much easier to carry out. “She is like family,” Michelle said.
Ironically, the client struggles to remember Michelle’s name because of her dementia. But since Michelle began assisting the client in November 2022, their bonds have been unshakeable. Michelle’s client, who is in her late 70s, was in the hospital for a week and in a rehabilitation facility for another week before the goal of getting her back home was achieved. In addition to Michelle’s care six days a week, the family has a physical therapist coming to the home.
“When I first started, my client had 24/7 coverage. Now I am her only scheduled Care Pro, and I am with her during daylight hours. She is with family at night; she has been a widow for the past 15 years. When I began with her, she already had had dementia for years. She uses a walker, but she has suffered a fall. I keep an eye on her because she is a fall risk. When the weather allows us to go outside, she tells me about her plants. She also asks me about the goldfish in the livestock tank,” Michelle explained.
“As a result of her dementia, her conversations have evolved in subjects that don’t make sense. But I affirm what she says. She asks me a lot about her parents, who are both deceased. She thinks her parents are coming home. I agree with her so she will not be upset, or I change the subject. She has sundown syndrome, and it doesn’t have to be near sunset for her to react and become tense. A really cloudy day will have the same effect. When the sundowning comes on, I talk to her to comfort her.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 20 percent of those with dementia experience sundowning. The approach of sundown can trigger sudden emotional, behavioral or cognitive changes. There are many theories about sundowning, and the triggers seem to vary. For some, sundowning may be triggered by the dimming light – a sense that it’s time to change activities or “go home.” Evening and darkness may tap into fears of being unsafe and insecure.
Recalling her start with Home Instead on Oct. 1, 2022, Michelle said: “The Home Instead training classes are good. Home Instead’s dementia care training is really good.” To build on their knowledge and experience, Michelle and other Victoria Care Pros are offered the opportunity to increase their dementia-care skills by taking part in the Home Instead network’s one-of-a-kind training protocol.
Home Instead’s Person-Centered Care Training for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias is recognized by the Alzheimer’s Association® for incorporating the evidence-based dementia-care practice recommendations in these topic areas: Alzheimer’s and other dementia, person-centered care, assessment and care planning, activities of daily living, and behaviors and communication.
While Michelle had not previously worked in professional senior care, she had plenty of experience as a family caregiver and as someone who helped a friend. Michelle explained: “For a couple of months, I took care of a friend who had suffered seizures. My mom had cancer, and she died in 2014 at age 53 just one year after her cancer diagnosis. When I was younger, I helped my mother and father with my siblings. I have two younger brothers, and I am the only girl.”
Michelle found Home Instead when her husband’s secretary told her about the award-winning franchise. “I applied with Home Instead and another agency. The office personnel at Home Instead are nicer and treat you better. I feel good about working with Home Instead. I am happy with Home Instead. I have remained in consistent communication with Maegan from the beginning,” said Michelle, referring to Recruiting and Retention Coordinator Maegan Coldewey.
Pietro Jordao and Dillon Rice have been the Home Instead franchise’s co-owners since Aug. 1, 2020. Maegan joined Home Instead at her position in March 2019. Pietro, Dillon, Maegan and Michelle are proud members of a franchise network directed by 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.
At our award-winning Home Instead franchise, owned by Pietro Jordao and Dillon Rice, Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (361) 237-1895 or apply online at
https://www.homeinstead.com/location/781/home-care-jobs/ . For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at https://www.homeinstead.com/location/781/.
