Home Instead

What is trauma? And how does it show up in the older adults we care for?

On the latest episode of the Caregiver Chats Podcast, Dr. Lakelyn sits down with healthcare leader and trauma-informed care advocate Jean Hartnett to discuss how past experiences can shape behaviors, emotional responses, and caregiving interactions later in life.

💬 Do you think understanding someone's life story helps you provide better care? We'd love to hear your thoughts. 👇

🎧 Listen to the full conversation here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/72-the-hidden-impact-of-trauma-in-caregiving/id1684948365?i=1000768008035

"I have a ministry of encouraging people."

Joy Karienye brings discipline and purpose to her work as a Care Pro. Before joining Home Instead, she was a professional marathon runner who competed in 23 countries and served as an Adidas ambassador, a routine of 4 a.m. runs that still centers her each day. After immigrating from Kenya, she felt called to caregiving and changed her name to Joy to reflect her mission to help others heal. That determination shows in her care, including helping a 98-year-old client regain strength after a serious injury and come off hospice. Joy helps clients rebuild confidence and connection one steady step at a time.

Meet all of the 2025 Rising Care Pros of the Year: https://bit.ly/46JGmR2

"I just love being around people... When they're happy, then I am happy."

Darla Amlong joined Home Instead in 2022 after moving back to West Point to be closer to her aging mother and seeing firsthand how much it matters to have the right support at home. When one client wanted to spend a weekend with her daughter, Darla drove 181 miles round-trip to make it happen, turning the long drive into a weekend adventure. She has created hands-on tools to help clients overcome frustration and surprised farming families with practical harvest care packages. Darla looks for what will make the day lighter, easier, or more meaningful, and then she does it.

This level of care is exactly why Home Instead recognized her as one of 10 Care Pros of the Year.

Check out all of the 2025 Rising Care Pros of the Year stories here: https://bit.ly/46JGmR2

"Every single person is special for me. Everyone has something to tell you."

Margarita Arreola has been caring for older adults since 1995, first supporting a husband and then choosing to continue caring for his wife after he passed. That decision shaped the way she works to this day. Since joining Home Instead in 2022, she has become the steady presence families rely on, especially in hospice and complex cases.

Margarita reads moods quickly and responds with quiet, physical reassurance, calming anxious mornings, warming cold hands, and celebrating small wins like a client standing on their own for a few extra seconds. This level of care is exactly why Home Instead recognized her as one of 10 Care Pros of the Year.

Check out more inspiring stories from the 2025 Rising Care Pros of the Year: https://bit.ly/46JGmR2

“Be someone they can talk to. They need to be heard. They need to be loved.”

Milagros Fernandez’s life has been shaped by courage and care. After leaving Cuba at 19 and building a new life in the United States, she discovered her calling in caregiving, first in a nursing home, then at home with her own mother for eight years after a stroke.

That experience continues to guide her. Milagros cares for every client the way she cared for her mom, with patience, dignity, and a wholehearted presence. Families describe her as a blessing, someone who brings comfort in both the quiet moments and times of crisis, often adding thoughtful touches like homemade flan to make a house feel more like home.

For Milagros, the greatest reward is simple: knowing she’s made someone feel seen, supported, and loved. It’s this deep compassion that makes her care unforgettable.

Discover more inspiring stories from the 2025 Rising Care Pros of the Year: https://bit.ly/46JGmR2

You don’t have to stop living after a stroke, especially not as a caregiver.

“It’s a very lonely existence… but you don’t have to isolate. You just need to find a purpose each day.”

Caregiver Chats host Dr. Lakelyn is joined by Lana Wilhelm, who shares what it really looks like to go from nurse to full-time caregiver overnight—and the emotional reality that follows. From uncertainty and guilt to resilience and purpose, her story is a reminder that caregiver support isn’t optional—it’s essential.

If you’re caring for someone after a stroke, you are not alone. There is a community that understands and wants to support you.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: Life After a Stroke: Supporting the Caregiver wherever you get your podcasts. https://bit.ly/4d2wmVz