New Home Instead Office, Same Job Fulfillment for Carrie
Seven years ago, senior-care professional Carrie Gooden moved from Wilkes County, North Carolina, to Surry County. While Carrie left behind some unforgettable days in North Wilkesboro, she brought her bright, compassionate personality to Mount Airy and began building a new set of fond memories. And her job transition was an easy one – Carrie switched from one Home Instead® franchise to another.
“I started working with Home Instead in the early 2010s in Wilkes County,” Carrie explained. “I worked with clients in their homes and in residential facilities.” Recalling those days, Carrie said: “I worked on Saturdays with a client who loved going for walks around the facility and at the dog park. I enjoyed walking, so Saturday was my favorite workday of the week.”
Carrie got her start with Home Instead in Wilkes County after she noticed an interesting online advertisement for Home Instead. “With my CNA background,” she said, “I felt it was necessary to provide one-on-one care for seniors that is more specific to their needs. I also could devote more time for each client than I could if I were working in a care community.”
Carrie added: “Fast-forward to 2017, when I moved to Surry County. Not long after my move, I became employed when I joined Home Instead in Mount Airy. I knew from working at my previous Home Instead location that the network was great. I didn’t hesitate to work for another Home Instead franchise.”
Carrie, who’d always had an interest in nursing, began working as a CNA in her early 20s. “I knew I wanted to help people. I was very intrigued with the medical field. I worked in nursing homes after becoming a CNA. I used to ask the staff why the residents could not stay at their homes. I just knew there must be a better solution than being in a facility. Years later, companies such as Home Instead began. I absolutely love the fact that people can stay in their homes and receive care,” Carrie said.
In addition to working in professional senior care, Carrie was a family caregiver.
“My stepdad, a Vietnam veteran, was in a wheelchair when my mom met him. I would go with him and my mom to the VA a few times a month for appointments. Back then, we helped care for him and listened to the doctors talk about his care. My mom let me help with his medication and wound care. We took turns pushing his wheelchair and helping him in and out of the car.”
Carrie added: “In a different situation with another senior loved one, my dad stayed at my home when he got sick, and I cared for him after some of his surgeries. I attended appointments with him. I helped keep him active as well.”
To Carrie, assisting Home Instead clients is like taking care of family. “I enjoy traveling in the community to meet seniors who need care to stay home. It’s nice to talk with them as they share a love of their families and communities. They are always appreciative of a Care Professional assisting them. They welcome the Home Instead plans for their care,” Carrie said.
Her clients and the Home Instead staff are glad Carrie chose to work for the franchise owned by Ann and Van Lankford. So glad, in fact, that Home Instead Staff Coordinator Sharon Bledsoe announced Carrie had been honored as the franchise’s Care Pro of the Month for July. “Carrie is dedicated and hard-working, and all of her clients love her,” Sharon said. “Carrie embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of ‘Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.’ ”
Carrie said: “The Home Instead office staff is wonderful. There is good stability. Ms. Sharon Bledsoe started working there before I did. She has always helped me find a suitable schedule and good client matches, so we all have the best fit. I appreciate Mr. Lankford and his wife Ann for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the Home Instead team. The rest of the staff is the most helpful you could want. I’m lucky to work with such wonderful people.”
Carrie finds fulfillment from working with her Home Instead clients, recalling more than a decade ago when she walked with her special client at a dog park each Saturday in Wilkes County. More recently, another client is among those who are near and dear to her heart. “A client with whom I work has captured a history of family and community in her home. The client is a vital part of the community and is loved by many. The client is an inspiration to so many people,” Carrie said.
