From Banking to Home Care in Farnborough: Julie's Journey
Come on in and meet care pro Julie, who made the remarkable decision to follow her passion for home care after finding her purpose as a caregiver.
Julie’s Journey Started When She Became a Primary Caregiver
Like many care professionals, Julie hadn’t anticipated working in care. In fact, at this point in Julie’s life, she had worked in finance for over 24 years and had built a solid career. A career she loved. But as her parents grew older and faced increasing health challenges, Julie’s role as a daughter naturally evolved into that of a caregiver. She found herself immersed in a new world—home care.
As part of her experience, Julie was soon providing more and more physical assistance, emotional support and daily companionship as her parents’ world grew more isolated. And that can often be the case; as we get older, our bodies start to slow, and we can’t get out and about to meet our communities anymore, so we crave social interaction as well as physical support. Julie embraced her new (and unintentional) role and found she rather relished the work. For Julie, this felt like a stark contrast to the more impersonal world of numbers she came from. But one she found a deep calling to do.
Caring for your own parents can be tough. It’s challenging to separate the parent-daughter relationship from the decisions you must make as a care provider. But Julie found satisfaction in making a tangible difference to her parents’ well-being. She started to wonder if this was actually what she was meant to do—care for others.
A Sudden Change: Redundancy Leads to a New Beginning
As fate often does, it threw Julie an unexpected curveball. She was made redundant. And she found herself at a crossroads. In one direction, the hunt for a new job in finance and, in the other, a chance for a new beginning. An opportunity to explore working in home care.
Julie used this opportunity to reassess her priorities and what she truly wanted from her career. Her experiences caring for her parents had opened her eyes to a profession she had always admired but never fully explored.
Inspired by the idea of making a real difference in people’s lives, she decided to pursue a new career in home care—a field where her compassion and empathy are at the forefront of every interaction. A space where she could help make a real difference in someone else’s parents’ lives. An opportunity to help other primary caregivers balance work with Mum and Dad’s care. There was more impact here. More reward.
Discovering Home Instead Farnborough
As Julie explored this new world, she found herself at a Home Instead Farnborough coffee morning. And something clicked. She found the company she most wanted to work with. Julie remembers, “The thing that sold it to me was how lovely every single person in this office was. It was beyond just a hello; everyone was genuinely friendly, and I thought, that’s the type of place I’d like to work.”
As a caregiver at Home Instead, Julie’s role goes beyond assisting with daily activities like meal preparation, medication reminders, or light housekeeping. She is also there to offer companionship, emotional support, and a listening ear. Everything that she wanted to provide as a care professional. Everything that felt crucial in delivering the best experience for those who need compassion and empathy during their golden years.
At Home Instead, because of the unique way we work to provide a lifeline for our seniors, Julie has been able to really connect with her clients, developing deeply meaningful relationships. She can help them maintain dignity and independence—a not-so-secret sauce to a longer, happier senior life.
Julie’s background in banking also turned out to be an asset in her new role. Her organisational skills and attention to detail helped her excel in the caregiving environment. And she has been an absolute pleasure to work with.
The Road Ahead: New Job, New Zest for Life and Absolutely No Regrets
Looking back on her decision to leave a career in banking, Julie feels an overwhelming sense of fulfilment in her new job. “I feel so supported and brought on by the team, and my care manager Nicky is really supportive,” she says. “Caring for others is such a rewarding experience, and it’s amazing to see the difference we can make in someone’s life. I’ve built some real lovely relationships with my clients, and there are some I have a real giggle with.”
There’s a new zest for life when you feel you have found your calling. A sparkle. And Julie has definitely found hers—she positively glows!
Julie’s story is an inspiring reminder that sometimes, life’s unexpected changes can lead us to our true passions. Leaving behind a 24-year career in finance was a brave decision, but for Julie, it was the best choice she ever made.
And we are very proud to have her in our team. Thank you so much, Julie, for everything you do and the care and dedication you bring to the table. Every. Single. Day.