Lubbock home caregivers needed to provide aid, companionship during holiday season

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Home caregivers can make a real difference during the holiday season, providing aid, comfort and companionship to aging adults.

“A lot of the times, their families travel and if their mobility is not in such a way that they can go with them, we will get phone calls that they need someone to stay with their mom or dad, their loved one during that time,” Lubbock franchise owner of Home Instead, Stephanie Dodson, said.

Dodson says you don’t have to be Santa to brighten up a holiday.

“The care professionals who are there with them on Thanksgiving will help to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for them, and are the only company they have that day,” Dodson said.

She says it doesn’t take all day to put a smile on their face. Home Instead tries to make sure all employees have plenty of time for their own holiday festivities.

“We work very hard to try and structure it so that the care professional also has time with their family, but maybe with that particular client for a couple hours that morning,” Dodson said.

Dodson says Home Instead is understaffed by 20% and clients have increased by at least 10% from last year.

“We’ve seen some improvement in care professional applications over the last couple of months, but we’ve also seen a greater demand,” Dodson said.

This means employees are having to do extra work.

“The ones that we have working so very hard and picking up a lot of additional hours to try to meet the needs of our aging adults,” Dodson said. “And so, I would certainly love to have more come in.”

Dodson says Home Instead can teach you everything you need to know as long as you have the heart for it.

“When we look for a care professional, when someone comes in to apply, one of the things that’s most important to us is their heart, their commitment, their resilience,” Dodson said.

Dodson says the demand for home caregivers increases each day; Home Instead is looking for more employees to help them help more people.

For more information on Home Instead in Lubbock click here. To apply for a job click here.

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