Home Instead

11/27/2025

Grateful for the caregivers who make every day feel like Thanksgiving . ✨ Tag someone who deserves an extra slice of appreciation this year. 🥧

11/25/2025

You’re caring for the people who once cared for you.
Not sure where to start? Begin with these holiday conversation starters—then download our What’s Next Guide for more ways to talk about care with confidence: https://bit.ly/4ojVQBo

11/23/2025

We’re so close! Home Instead has raised $244,683, reaching 98% of our $250,000 goal in support of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. With more than 2,000 participants and nearly 2,000 gifts, our franchise network continues to show up in a big way.

A big shoutout to our top fundraising teams leading the way: Home Instead - Albany & Schenectady ($20,253), Home Instead Gorham ($19,285), and Home Instead - Lewisburg ($12,876).

Let’s make 2025 our biggest impact yet!

Visit our team page to make a donation: https://bit.ly/4mGLTNR

11/21/2025

This is your reminder to have the hard conversations when life feels calm, not chaotic. And hey, cocoa always helps. ☕️😉

Download our free guide to help you start the conversation and plan ahead with peace of mind: https://bit.ly/4onpSoz

11/19/2025

⭐️Meet the staff⭐️
Meet Mike, our Director of Business Development!

As the Director of Business Development, Mike Drew leverages his extensive experience in marketing and professional relationship management to benefit clients and employees alike. Before joining our company, Mike served as the Director of the West Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, where he dedicated his efforts to providing services for older adults across six Illinois counties.

With 15 years of business management and ownership experience, a degree in marketing, and six years in advertising and sales, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Additionally, he has seven years of organizational management experience that further strengthens his leadership capabilities.

Outside of his professional life, Mike is involved in community theater, church, and other community organization activities. He enjoys birdwatching, playing golf, and traveling in his free time. Passionate about helping people age with dignity, Mike is excited to apply his skills and experience to making a positive impact on the lives of others.

11/19/2025

Hospital stays can throw family routines and emotions out of whack. 😵‍💫 In this recent Caregiver Chats episode, Dr. Lakelyn and Dr. Monique Nugent share tips to communicate effectively, advocate confidently, and feel more at ease during a loved one’s hospitalization. 🫶

Watch the full episode today and join our community: https://bit.ly/3WE5G5x

11/18/2025

Our caregivers will take your loved one shopping or can do the shopping for them. You are there for them in many ways; Gofer doesn't have to be one of them.

11/17/2025

Dr. Lakelyn talks with Cindy and Christina Hardin-Weiss, founders of Adaptive Equipment & Caregiving Corner, about one of the most sensitive but essential parts of caregiving—incontinence care and restroom safety.

Together, they break down the common causes of incontinence, share product recommendations, and offer practical tips for creating safer, more comfortable bathroom routines. Whether you’re helping a loved one manage daily care or planning ahead for home modifications, this conversation offers the kind of clear, compassionate advice caregivers can use right away.

🎧 Watch the full episode here: https://bit.ly/4qHMD87

11/14/2025

Join us Wednesday, November 19th for a great event for family caregivers to learn about Alzheimer's Disease and things to be aware of when caring for a loved one with dementia. Please register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfn79gSG5QaxNqC3CrRiA6o57m3g71eDFIT5_jAPYu6qw3FEA/viewform?usp=send_form

11/14/2025

Noticing some changes in a loved one but unsure how to talk about it? 🧣

Our free guide helps families start meaningful conversations about aging, care needs, and planning for the future, so you can focus on what matters most: time together. ✨

Download your copy today: https://bit.ly/4qJ4DyS

11/13/2025

Thank you to Quincy Senior and Family Resource Center for inviting us to this amazing event. It was great to see everyone in the community and discus such an important topic that we care so deeply about!

United for Care was a HUGE success last night! Bobbe White was a phenomenal speaker, and we had a very engaging panel discussion with West Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, Alzheimer's Association, Home Instead, Golden Bridges, Inc., & Hight Point Residences of Quincy. Thank you to everyone who came out, thank you to Home Instead for providing reapite, and a huge thank you to the Alzheimer’s Association for hosting this much needed event! If you missed it, make sure to attend United for Care 2026!

11/13/2025

⭐️Meet the staff⭐️

Meet Mary, our Training Coordinator!

Mary Kelly is the Trainer at Home Instead. She began her journey with the company as a caregiver and brings valuable experience as a social worker and in crisis prevention. Mary has expertise in Alzheimer's redirecting, overcoming objections and fears such as showering, and breaking down processes to teach others how to succeed as caregivers.

Mary loves animals, caring for people, reading, and enjoying a good cup of hot tea. She is dedicated to remaining at Home Instead for the rest of her career and is committed to continuous growth in her role as a trainer.

10/27/2025

We have no control over diagnosis or decline. What we can control is our acceptance, and that helps us move through caregiving with more ease.

Dr. Lakelyn sits down with Katie Prentiss, an actor, filmmaker, and former caregiver to her mom who lived with frontotemporal dementia.

Katie shares what it was like to care for her mom while raising four kids and running a business, and how she found peace by letting go of control. She also talks about her new film Wake Up Maggie, a love letter to caregivers everywhere. 💌

🎧 Tune in wherever you get your podcasts: https://homeinsteadinc.visitlink.me/HHHZVX

10/21/2025

You want the best for your loved ones, and so do we. 🫶

With 30+ years of experience and a trusted network of compassionate Care Pros, we’re here when it matters most. 🏡 Learn more at homeinstead.com.

10/17/2025

Tune in to our latest Caregiver Chats episodes for expert advice, resources, and real stories designed to support caregivers everywhere.

🎧 Listen now: https://apple.co/3RuALpz

10/16/2025

Today we’re unpacking the surprising sides of grief, and how to resist the urge to judge it when it shows up differently for others.

Dr. Lakelyn sits down with Katie Prentiss, an actor, filmmaker, and former caregiver to her mom who lived with frontotemporal dementia.

Katie opens up about what it was like to care for her mom while raising four kids and running a business, and how she learned to let go of control and find peace through acceptance. She also shares the heart behind her new film, Wake Up Maggie—a love letter to caregivers everywhere. 💌

🎧 Tune in wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/3KIelBj?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Fhomeinsteadinc%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F594035843

10/15/2025

“There’s no do-overs in grief, and so there’s a ton of second guessing in grief.” — Lisa Pahl

It’s never easy to talk about death. But avoiding it? That can leave our loved ones with conflict, confusion, and a heavy burden of “what ifs.”
In this episode of , Dr. Lakelyn sits down with hospice social worker and co-creator of The Death Deck, Lisa Pahl to explore the real consequences of not planning ahead.

Starting the conversation now won’t take away the pain of loss, but it can offer clarity, connection, and peace when it matters most.

🎧 Listen to wherever you get your podcasts. https://apple.co/3RuALpz

10/14/2025

Caregiving can feel like chaos—especially when you’re trying to hold it all together. In this episode, Dr. Lakelyn sits down with Katie Prentiss, an actor, filmmaker, and former caregiver to her mom, who lived with frontotemporal dementia.

Katie shares what it was like to care for her mom while raising four kids and running a business, and how she learned to let go of control and find peace through acceptance. She also talks about her new film, Wake Up Maggie—a love letter to caregivers everywhere.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/3KIelBj?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=app.dashsocial.com%2Fhomeinsteadinc%2Flibrary%2Fmedia%2F592846977

10/09/2025

💸 Did you know family caregivers spend an average of $7,000 out of pocket each year, and for long-distance caregivers, it can be even more?

On this episode of Caregiver Chats, Dr. Lakelyn and Certified Financial Planner™ Danielle Miura talk about the hidden costs of caregiving and why it’s so important to plan ahead. From workplace benefits to government resources, knowing your options can help you avoid burnout and protect your financial future.

🎧 Listen to Episode 55: Navigating Financial Stability as a Family Caregiver: https://homeinsteadinc.visitlink.me/FSBkeu

10/06/2025

Caregiving can no longer be a solo act. In this clip from our podcast, guest Jason Resendez shares how important it is to ask for help—and to offer it—in order to make caregiving more sustainable for everyone, especially sandwich caregivers.

Whether you're caring for both a parent and a child or simply know someone who is, showing up matters. Don’t wait to be asked. A text, a meal, or a short visit can make all the difference.

🎧 Hear more from Jason, President & CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, in our latest episode. (Link in bio)

10/03/2025

“At first, my dad’s dementia showed up in small ways. He’d leave the garage door wide open. He’d forget to take his phone with him when he left the house. Little things. Easy to explain away—until they weren’t.”

Then the emergencies came. Her mom was overwhelmed. Debbie was juggling a demanding job, raising her kids, and trying to make sense of a world that suddenly felt upside down.

She didn’t know what was normal, what was urgent, or where to turn. No one told her what to expect.

They learned the hard way.

So many calls from her mom asking her to come over—and plenty of 911 calls, falls, and difficulty physically helping him in the shower or getting dressed.

And then, outside a grocery store, she saw a sign: “Home Care Assistance.”
“I didn’t know what that meant. But I knew I needed it.”

That moment opened the door to care—compassionate people who helped her dad feel safe. Professionals who gave Debbie’s family a sense of calm and control again.

That experience changed Debbie’s life. It lit a fire in her.

Today, she owns three Home Instead franchises in Arizona. Her mission is deeply personal: to give families the kind of care and guidance she wishes she had earlier.

Because the signs are always there. Families just need someone to help them see them, trust them, and know they don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Home Instead stands for that kind of care—care rooted in empathy, built on trust, and delivered with heart. Debbie knows because she lived it. And now she’s making sure other families don’t have to walk that road alone.

09/29/2025

Charles spent his early years surrounded by books and artifacts, studying archaeology and collecting antiques wherever he could. His home still reflects that passion, lined with treasures from a life spent exploring.

An accident in his thirties, followed by a stroke years later, changed what life looked like. Now in a power chair, Charles depends on daily support. But thanks to Valarie, his longtime Home Instead Care Pro, the world he loves is still within reach.

Valarie helps him hold on to the routines and passions that bring him joy. “He likes to be read to,” she says. “I try, but he laughs at me. I cannot pronounce the words.” Still, she reads. They water the garden together and talk about what to cook. “One thing he loves is good food, and I can cook,” she says. “I will say, I will cook you meatloaf and green beans.” It is a familiar bribe when it is time for a haircut.

Outings take more planning now, but Valarie makes sure they still happen. She arranges rides for trips to antique stores, museums, and the zoo, sometimes bringing her granddaughter along. “We are going to the zoo next week,” she says. “I have pictures of all our trips.”

It is in these small comforts that their connection has grown stronger. Valarie says it best: “We are here to accommodate them. They are not here to accommodate us.”

Because with the right care, life does not stop. It keeps going with comfort, joy, and connection. 💚

Share this story with someone who needs a reminder of the power of care.

09/22/2025

More than 55 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Today, on World Alzheimer’s Day, we honor every life touched by this journey — individuals living with dementia, as well as the caregivers, families, and partners who walk alongside them. 🫂

Together, we can make a difference. 💜
Join us in the fight to end Alzheimer’s by donating at alz.org.

Looking for extra support? Link in bio to explore our podcast for real stories and resources from the caregiving community. ⤴

09/04/2025

This is why we walk. 💜

When Michelle’s dad, Don, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 69, her family’s world changed forever. Over 10 years, she watched him go from living at home with caregivers to assisted living, and eventually to an Alzheimer’s unit before he passed away at age 79.

Earlier this year, dementia touched her family again when Michelle’s mom, Sandy, had a stroke and heart attack that rapidly advanced her dementia. Now in memory care, Michelle visits Sandy every evening. Despite these challenges, she finds gratitude: “Even though my mom has changed, I’m still creating memories with her.”

For Michelle, Walk to End Alzheimer’s is about honoring her parents and connecting with others. Each year, she joins her Home Instead team and others in the senior care community to walk not in sadness, but in hope for a cure.

It’s because of passionate people like Michelle that Home Instead, a Walk to End Alzheimer’s Gold National Team, has raised nearly $5.5 million over the past 17 years — including $280,000 just last year — to advance critical Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.

Together with the , we’re fighting for a future without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. Let’s make 2025 our most impactful year yet. 💪

Learn how you can get involved: alz.org/walk 🚶🏽‍♀️