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With the U.S. expected to have more adults over the age of 65 than children by the year 2034, the demand for trusted, compassionate home care is rapidly growing. In honor of National Caregivers Day, Home Instead gerontologist and caregiving advocate Dr. Lakelyn Eichenberger and Home Instead care pro Maureen Walsh spoke about the people behind caregiving and how the right support can make a difference for older adults and their families.
Home Instead provides in-home care for older adults, helping them age safely and comfortably in their homes.
"Home Instead provides in-home care for older adults, helping them age safely and comfortably with dignity and joy in the place that they love most: their homes. For more than 30 years, we've supported families through personalized relationship-based care delivered by trained care pros in communities across the world. Our care pros assist with everyday needs like personal care, companionship, meal preparation, mobility, support, and also specialized care for people living with memory loss or chronic conditions," Eichenberger said.
Eichenberger said the organization takes a connected care approach that combines relationship-based support with technology, providing real-time updates and shared care information. Hence, families feel informed even when they cannot be present. Home Instead has more than 650 locations across the U.S. and Canada and more than 60,000 care pros providing care to families every day.
National Caregivers Day holds special significance for the organization, which has spent nearly three decades recognizing the people who deliver that care.
"National Caregiver Day, it's really meaningful to us, because for nearly 30 years, we've celebrated our care pros through our care pro of the year program, and it honors those who go above and beyond every single day. And this year, we're honoring 10 care pros from across the US and Canada, including Maureen, who's here with us today, and really they represent the very best of what home care looks like: compassion, skill, reliability, and that genuine human connection," Eichenberger said.
Walsh is among the 10 care pros being honored this year. She said the recognition is meaningful not just for her, but for all caregivers.
"It is an honor to represent all those, both family and professional caregivers," Walsh said.
Walsh said her path to becoming a care pro was shaped by a lifetime of watching others serve.
"I come from a family of caregivers, you know, doctors and nurses and other medical professionals. And while I did not go into that as a career, initially, later in life, I was looking for something part-time to do, and this seemed to be something logical for me to pursue, because I love working with people. I wanted to do something that was meaningful, even though I was not the medical person in the family, we all grew up with a sense of service to others," Walsh said.
Those interested in learning more about Home Instead, finding local care options, or exploring employment as a care pro can visit homeinstead.com.
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