Care Professional of the Month Andrea can’t say enough positives about Home Instead® of Collin County, an award-winning franchise in Plano, Texas, that’s owned by Todd Felker. “The year and a half I’ve spent with Home Instead have been some of the most fruitful times of my life,” Andrea said. “To the Home Instead ownership and staff, I say, ‘Thank you so much for having me as an employee. Thank you for welcoming me home.’ ”
Andrea added: “I owe so much gratitude to Home Instead for providing the opportunity to enrich the lives of our seniors for whom we all carry tender hearts when we serve them. Home is where our seniors are. I realize how important being a Care Pro is, and it is a remarkable realization to have. It carries the strength I have to be the guide, heart, hands, feet and voice for each individual, no matter what their level of care is.”
Andrea is no newbie to senior care. She has experienced caregiving firsthand since her high school days, when she had volunteered at a nursing home where her mother, a registered nurse, had served as director of nursing. She later worked at the nursing home as an administrative assistant and activities director. Andrea’s journey with Home Instead began several years ago with Home Instead of Boerne, Texas, a northeast suburb of San Antonio 325 miles southwest of Plano.
She explained: “I’d been a stay-at-home mom for a few years. I have two wonderful children, a 14-year-old son and an 8-year-old daughter. Shortly before I began raising a family, I had volunteered as a hospice worker. I believed no one should have to pass away alone. I wanted to be there for seniors who didn’t have any family to bring them comfort in their final hours. Some of my life’s most fulfilling moments have been to bring peace to those passing,” Andrea said.
She said that as her children grew older, she began feeling the call to resume caring for seniors. “I started looking online and found Home Instead in Boerne. I was drawn to the idea that if I got hired by Home Instead, I could help keep seniors in the comfort of their homes. After I learned all that I could about Home Instead, I thought, ‘Sign me up!’ ” Andrea recalled.
In May 2023, Andrea moved to the Dallas area. She interviewed with the Home Instead of Collin County. “I was thrilled when I got hired. I felt as if I had brought a piece of Home Instead with me to Dallas and then I found the Plano office and picked up where I had left off,” Andrea said.
“Honestly, Home Instead has made my life more fulfilling and rewarding beyond my expectations. Being a part of this company has built my confidence and shown me how strong I am. My job allows me to continue to share my heart and joy with the seniors, and I have had a lifetime of doing that very thing. I love sharing who I am with the Home Instead clients.”
As a bonus caregiving talent, Andrea sings for her clients if they give their permission. “I play the piano when I have the opportunity. I have a professional singing background. I sang ‘Verdi’s Requiem’ with Chorus Austin when we collaborated with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. I had earned money by singing for weddings and funerals, too,” she said.
Home Instead Care Pro Advocate Amanda Ross recently sang the praises of Andrea when she announced Andrea’s Care Pro of the Month honor. Among her superlatives for Andrea, Amanda said: “Andrea is an amazing Care Professional, and she always receives wonderful compliments from her clients and their families. Andrea absolutely loves her job, and anyone can see that. Andrea embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ She is someone who is exceptional at her work with any client.”
The Collin County franchise is 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 (469) 916-9202 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website at www.homeinstead.com/location/278/
