Home Instead® Care Professional of the Month Uy Fitzgerald has never forgotten about growing up in his native Philippines, where he displayed a heart of gold for family members who needed help. The truth is, Uy was a family caregiver for his senior loved ones, not unlike what he does now professionally for his award-winning Home Instead franchise in Itasca, Illinois.
“When I was a kid, I used to run errands for my grandma and grandpa. I did whatever they wanted us to do. I bought and delivered the things they requested, scratched their backs, brought a glass of water – just about everything you can think of that a kid can do for his grandparents’ welfare,” said Uy, whose hometown is Quezon City. Uy studied at the Far East Air Transport Incorporated University in Manila, which also is known at FEATI University.
The 53-year-old Care Pro revealed he previously had worked as a government employee whose role was to help others, “so this job with Home Instead is like that, addressing the needs of others that take your full attention. You must tend to whatever extended needs that your clients have, whether it is physical or emotional,” Uy explained.
Sometimes serving others is not easy, especially if something such as chronic pain, dementia or loneliness is “a major part of the equation.” But Uy’s favorite saying is “Everything is possible with God’s grace.” Uy also likes another phrase: “It’s always better to be ready for difficulties or the unexpected.” Uy said he anticipates having good days with all clients, but sometimes there are challenging ones. “I can drive for them if needed and attend to any of their needs. Maybe a smile is just what they need,” said Uy, whose Filipino nickname of “Dikoy” means “handsome.”
Uy joked that he had a case of vertigo while he was tending to his first Home Instead client. “The situation was like baptism by fire for me. What I like most about this job is the peacefulness that can come during the shifts. There is no peacefulness when there is stress, but that is one of the reasons I am with a client. If something does not seem right with a client – you’ve got to get to know them really well to figure that out – I bring the concern immediately to the Home Instead office and to the client’s family,” he said.
Uy has served his Home Instead clients well – well enough, in fact, that he was honored as a Care Pro of the Month for June during an announcement by Human Resources Manager Alina Merrill and franchise owner Kelly Hutchison.
Among the considerations for achieving Care Pro of the Month status, an employee has shown he or she has gone above and beyond the call of duty, Alina pointed out. Empathy and compassion are taken into account for the award, as well as skill and wisdom for dealing with challenging situations. Uy embodies Home Instead’s guiding principles of “Build Trust, Take the Lead and Share Your Heart.”
Home Instead Care Professionals are screened, trained and insured. For inquiries about employment, please call (847) 690-9825 or apply online. For further information about Home Instead, visit our website.
