Several years ago, while working in a call center, our September Aide of the Month, Carmen Montes, received a call that changed the course of her career. She got a call from an older adult. The resulting conversation awakened a compassion in her for the elderly and a desire to work in home care. After that phone call, Carmen said to her coworkers, “If I ever leave here, the next thing I’m going to be doing is health care.”
Carmen followed her inspiration and left the call center. Luckily for us, she found CCOR and has been working here since 2016. Her talent stems from her outgoing nature and her positive attitude. “I love taking care of people, being around them,” she says.
Knowing that her clients may be in pain, Carmen looks for ways to bring a little sunshine into their lives. “I just come in everyday with a positive attitude. I check in to see if they’re okay. I have conversations with them, talk with them, go for a walk, or whatever they’re able to do that we can both do together.” Carmen’s strongest gift is the happy mindset she brings to her job, no matter what.
The caring atmosphere at CCOR fits Carmen to a T. “I enjoy and love being with CCOR,” she says. “They’re really friendly, caring, and very appreciative to the aides.” To anyone looking for a job with CCOR, Carmen’s advice is, “Basically, it’s a great job. Everyone there is the best. Everyone there always has positive energy, always in a good mood and respectful.”
In her free time, Carmen dotes on her two-year-old girl, Rae’anna and has a passion for doing nails. Ever since she was a child, Carmen has had a dream to open her own nail studio. During the COVID-19 quarantine, she practiced and perfected her nail skills. Now, Carmen is determined to begin making that dream come true.
Carmen’s positive attitude is the best part of her client’s day, but more importantly, her clients have become a fulfilling part of hers. They are the reason she started home care work in the first place, and they are her inspiration to keep doing her best. “They make me want to keep going in every day, making sure that they’re okay,” she says of her clients. “I look forward to coming there every day, like they were my own family.” Carmen has found joy with CCOR, and it all started with a phone call that touched her heart.