Earlier in February, my daughter went overseas to study abroad and was hosted by a local family. Knowing I had more than a few trepidations, she promised to write. Little did I know her writing would be a blog of her journey. As I read about her last few weeks, I became enamored with the country. Some of the things that stood out to me were the appreciation shown between different cultures and caring for individuals that were not blood born relatives. And of course, my favorite would be the kindness, support, and sense of family the host family has given to my daughter while there. When I thought of all this, it reminded me that these are the same things that The Arc, the residential staff, and the caregivers do.
The residential staff are charged with providing all care need of the individuals supported on a 24/7 basis. The staff provide medication, transportation to all doctor appointments, outings, and create an atmosphere of home. As the director of nursing, I have been to the residential homes and have seen the caring, sharing and laughter that goes on in these homes. I have seen positive changes in individuals because of the residential staff. Pictured is Nick, the manager at one of our Fitchburg homes, Patti Jo, and Kim, one of the day support staff. Patti Jo has gone from a quiet, reserved individual to an outgoing person. She now spends more time out of her room engaging with housemates and staff, and recently baked cupcakes for everyone in the house for Valentine's Day!
At another one of our Fitchburg homes, the manager, Stacia, invited all the individuals in the house to be part of a 2nd interview. She wanted to make sure it was a good fit for everyone. She gave the individuals a list of questions they could ask, in case they couldn't think of something. Zach wanted to know how she would get to know him. The interviewee had a good answer. After the meeting but before I left, another resident, Matt, asked me to help him pick out clothes for his date. I was flattered that he asked and we picked out a great outfit.
The adult foster care homes are charged with the same goals. Many of the caregivers are not family members but are just caring individuals. It is inspiring to meet them and hear their stories. It is also inspiring to see the bond they have formed with the individual they are caring for.
The residential staff and caregivers are all living the mission of caring for one another and helping to make these houses homes.