Family Caregiving Put Destanni on the Senior-Care Career Path
As a family caregiver, Destanni helped take care of her maternal grandmother for a while before assuming complete care of her senior loved one. She was in her mid-80s and was suffering from dementia. Destanni’s grandmother also needed supplemental oxygen and was bedridden at times.
“I was telling myself,” Destanni recalled, “that if I can provide this kind of high-quality care for my grandmother, I could do this for a living. When I made the move to professional senior care, I always made my standard of care for any client exactly the same that I would do for my grandmother.”
She added: “My grandmother died about two years ago. When she passed away, I had already begun working as a senior-care professional. I have been a professional for four years. Several of my employers were independent companies, and one employer was a nursing home.”
Enter Home Instead® of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, a 17-year-old franchise owned by Glenna Yaroch. The award-winning Home Instead office also serves Eastpointe, Harper Woods, Fraser, Roseville, Saint Clair Shores, Detroit, Warren and Clinton Township.
“I had been working for a different home-care company when I decided I wanted a better job and work closer to home. I found Home Instead through Indeed.com,” Destanni explained. She joined Home Instead in December 2023 and has never looked back.
“I am happy with Home Instead. The staff is a tight-knit group of people who care deeply about us Care Professionals. The Home Instead orientation presented to me the family-oriented culture they have. I felt it wasn’t just another job because of the way the staff feels about us Care Pros. They consider us more than just employees. They are 100 percent flexible. When I’ve had a few family emergencies, they have been extremely understanding,” Destanni said.
Eight months after joining Home Instead, Destanni was honored as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month. Among the considerations for achieving Care Pro of the Month status, an employee has shown she has gone above and beyond the call of duty. Empathy and compassion are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations. In Destanni’s case, all of those caregiving elements were clearly evident. It was her companionship and easy-going personality that pushed Destanni to another level of excellence.
“I have had the sweetest lady for a regular client, one whom I have assisted from about the time I started with Home Instead. She and her daughter are close to me. One of her daughters said: ‘You are the sister I never had.’ Her daughters are very hands-on. They handle all of the shopping. I give them a grocery list,” Destanni said.
She usually spends five days a week with her client, who has dementia. “I gently remind her of things. I do the light housekeeping and medication reminders. I also assist with personal care. She uses a walker, but she moves faster with it than I can. She has the energy of a young person,” Destanni said.
“For something fun, we have a fruit snack on her outside patio. She does crossword puzzles. We do a lot of talking and connecting that way. I have learned a lot about her background and family. Her husband died before I came to assist her. He was a police officer. She reminisces a lot about him and regrets that I didn’t get to meet him. She has a sweet tooth and is old-school Italian when it comes to her favorite foods.”
Destanni also works with other clients. “I pick up overnight shifts when I can. If I do that, I cut down a little on the length of my day shifts. I manage my stress easily,” she said. “When I get comfortable with a routine, I tend to stay with that job. I feel that way with Home Instead. I see myself staying with Home Instead as long as I can.”
All Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (313) 647-9682 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
