Meet one of our amazing CAREGivers!

Tune in and meet one of our most amazing caregivers!

She will share stories about tidbits about what it means to be a CAREGiver and why Home Instead!

To learn more about Home Instead Senior Care visit:
www.HomeInsteadSWFL.com
Call: 239-241-9765

Transcript

 Announcer:
Hello, and welcome to the Home Care Pod, your local resource when considering care. Now, introducing the Home Care ladies, Laura Gillian and Audra Bidwell, at your service.

Laura Gillian:
Hello, all, and welcome back to the Home Care Pod. We are so glad you're listening today because we have such a treat for you. You're here with your Home Care Ladies. I'm Laura.

Audra Bidwell:
And I'm Audra.

Laura Gillian:
Hey, lady. I-

Audra Bidwell:
Hey.

Laura Gillian:
I know you just got back from your time with your family. Tell us about your trip.

Audra Bidwell:
I did. It was so great. I haven't seen my... My parents live in Ohio. I haven't seen them since July, and it's been a long time. But I got to go home. I got to see my grandmas, which is the whole point. I have a 93-year-old grandma who is in an assisted living and a 97-year-old grandma who lives independently at home. She's a spitfire. She's so much fun. We had them both at our Easter table this year. It was just fantastic, so-

Laura Gillian:
That's-

Audra Bidwell:
... great.

Laura Gillian:
... so fantastic. I'm so glad you're able to spend time with them and just what a gift and especially at Easter. It's so awesome.

Audra Bidwell:
Yeah, it so is. Thanks for asking, Laura.

Laura Gillian:
Yeah, of course.

Audra Bidwell:
Today on the Pod, we have one of our amazing caregivers, Amanda. We thought it would be fun to, every now and again, interview some caregivers so that you can hear the quality of people that we have and just really see the heart that they have for the seniors that we serve.

Laura Gillian:
Absolutely. So welcome, Amanda. When we have guests, we like to ask them a little bit about themselves, to share what their passions are, and just anything you want to tell us. So will you do that for our listeners?

Amanda:
Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me today. I'm Amanda. And in addition to being a caregiver, I also enjoy being engaged in my community and church. On the weekends, I enjoy going to farmer's markets and spending time with my [inaudible 00:01:58] boyfriend.

Laura Gillian:
Fantastic.

Audra Bidwell:
We're so thankful that you took some time out of your day today to join us. So, Amanda, tell us a little bit about what got you into caregiving initially.

Amanda:
All right. I've been caregiving for about six years. I worked in the hospitality industry for years and wanted to do something a little more structured as a career. I went back to school to be a medical assistant and x-ray technician. After graduating, I found a job in a doctor's office. It was internal medicine, and it was very interesting. I liked the fast-paced environment, but I didn't really like the lack of individual care or compassion that went towards the patients.

Amanda:
While working there, I started caregiving privately on the side. And I found the time that I spent with people in their homes was much more rewarding and the career that I had really been looking for to fulfill that need to give back.

Audra Bidwell:
That's awesome.

Laura Gillian:
Yeah. So tell how you found Home Instead.

Amanda:
So I had found a flyer for Home Instead. And I looked the company up, and I really liked their message and what they were looking for in people and what they provided. So I called the recruitment office, and I left a message. That same day, they called me back. They set up an interview, and I was in there, and they hired me on the spot.

Laura Gillian:
That's incredible-

Audra Bidwell:
Yeah. We did.

Laura Gillian:
... We did. Yeah. Can you tell us a little bit about the interview process? What surprised you? What impressed you? Anything you want to share with that?

Amanda:
Yeah. The interview process was very personable. I got the feeling that they were more trying to find your personality out, not what your credentials were. Because when it comes to caregiving, it's more about your attitude and your outlook on life, not so much if you have experienced doing that specifically. Because you can learn how to help people in the shower or transfers, but you can't really help someone know how to be compassionate.

Laura Gillian:
That's right.

Audra Bidwell:
That is absolutely true, and we talk about that often when we interview people. We find people who have that heart to care. It's so vitally important. What would you say is your favorite part about being a caregiver for seniors?

Amanda:
One of my favorite things about being with the clients and caregiving is hearing their stories and all the wisdom and perspective that they have to share. I have a client that is going to be a hundred this year. And we play Rummy, and she routinely beats me at Rummy. And it's not really something to be proud of. She is so quick witted, so active, and she tells me stories about growing up and how things used to be, how they are now. And my time spent with her really has been eyeopening, because people have this assumption as you get older, you lose a lot. But really, there's a lot more control you have over that. And this lady being a hundred, she goes swimming every day. She beats me, and I'm not the only one, at Rummy. There's really, truly a real quality of life there. And it gives me a lot of hope for the future for myself and other people.

Audra Bidwell:
That's awesome.

Laura Gillian:
That's fantastic. You mentioned this, but any other stories or specific things that stick out that you would say this was my favorite time being a caregiver? Obviously without using any names, but anything that sticks out?

Amanda:
Yeah. I think it was last season. I had a client. He was a retired judge, and I would go over to his house every day for about six hours. And we would start the day, he liked a four-course breakfast. So there was fruit, and then there was cereal, and then I'd make the eggs and bacon. It was all staged. And he had, had back injury. So he really enjoyed going to the pool every day. So after we had our four-course breakfast, we would go to the pool. And his condo was right on the beach. So it was the Gulf of Mexico, some beach, and then the pool.

Amanda:
And every day, the same gentlemen would go out there, and we would hang out with them, and we would talk about current events. And the judge that I worked with, he would tell me, "It was a meeting of the minds." So we would talk about current events, and then we would solve all the problems of the world in two hours. But it was like a couple times a week I was doing that. I had a fantastic tan, and it was so nice spending that time with him and his wife.

Laura Gillian:
That's incredible.

Audra Bidwell:
That is so cool.

Laura Gillian:
I'm always so amazed at the things that our caregivers get to do on a daily basis. I think when people think of caregiving, they just think, "Oh, I'm just going to be helping someone who's completely helpless."

Audra Bidwell:
No.

Laura Gillian:
And sometimes there is a little bit of that, but obviously by sharing your stories, we know that isn't always the case. Amanda, tell me what you would say to someone who is considering a job in caregiving.

Amanda:
I think that if you're considering it, you probably should look into it. A lot of people probably don't realize that it is an entry-level positions. And like I said before, it's more your frame of mind, your perspective on life. That's what is the real goal of finding people like that. And the rest of it, you can be taught. So my training was three days long. And after that, I had an idea because I had a little bit of experience, but I felt so much more confident. And then also at Home Instead, we have a call service that, if you have a question, you're by yourself, you never have to be worried about what to do, because they're always there for you. You can reach out to them. If they're not able to answer the phone, they get back to you immediately. So there's never that time where you freeze and you're not sure what to do, because you know that somebody's there to help you.

Laura Gillian:
Yeah. Absolutely.

Audra Bidwell:
That's great. Yeah. We work hard to do that. That's a really big thing for us. We make a very, very conscious point to do all that good stuff. So maybe you're listening and you're thinking, "You know, what Amanda said really is something that I would like to try." So if you would like more information or you would like to apply for a job as a caregiver with us, you can text the word care, C-A-R-E, to (239) 596-2050. And an application will be sent right to your cell phone, conveniently.

Audra Bidwell:
Or maybe you're listening and you're thinking, "I would love to have someone just like Amanda care for my loved one or for me." Please, feel free to call us for that respect as well. We'd love to talk to you about the options that we have and how we can help you in your specific situation.

Laura Gillian:
Yeah. Absolutely. Thank you again, Amanda. You're such a great representation of Home Instead. And thanks to all of you for tuning into the Home Care Pod, and we will see you back here again real soon.

Audra Bidwell:
Bye-bye.

Laura Gillian:
Have a great day. Bye.

Amanda:
Bye. Thank you.

Announcer:
Thanks again for listening to the Home Care Pod with Laura and Audra, your Home Care Ladies. To learn more about home care or a career as a caregiver, please visit our website at www.homeinsteadaswfl.com or call us at (239) 226-0007.