The ARRM (Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota) Cares Award was established to recognize professionals from ARRM members who provide direct care and demonstrate a commitment to quality services. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are nominated who represent the ideal skills and values of: professional integrity, networking supports, and creative, innovative, person-centered approaches to services. All nominees are recognized by ARRM and their employers as the top the disability services field has to offer, while six winners are selected each year who represent outstanding and extraordinary dedication, innovation, and skill.
This year’s nominees from Hiawatha Homes are two Team Leaders who embody the ARRM Cares Award skills and values: Kathy Nauman and Sheila Edwards.
Sheila: Supporting Individuals Through Trust
Sheila began her career in direct care work with individuals living with disabilities in 1978 at the State Hospital. In 1998 she began working at Hiawatha Homes. Throughout her over 40 years in the field, Sheila has built relationships with individuals that have spanned decades – she has supported one individual since the 1980s when they were just six years old. Over four decades of care, Sheila has maintained her passion for her work and continues to provide creative and person-centered care.
Sheila believes that trust is paramount when working with individuals with disabilities. Throughout her extensive career as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) and Team Lead, Sheila has created trusting relationships with all of the individuals she supports. Recently, when a new individual moved into the Hiawatha home where Sheila is a Team Lead, Sheila used her experience building trusting relationships to have a lasting impact in the individual’s life.
The new individual had a history of behavioral challenges and mental health struggles. Although this made it difficult for Sheila to build trust, she knew that this individual was so much more than their diagnoses. Sheila spent time getting to know the individual and their family on a deeper level and began to learn what was important to them. Sheila learned that the individual had a deep connection with their faith, but had recently not been regularly attending church. Sheila took the initiative to find a church that would be the right fit and, together, they found a church that would help the individual make connections with community members and regain their faith. Since finding a new church, Sheila and this individual have attended many church events together where the individual has made friends and become part of a new community. Through Sheila’s care and support, this individual reconnected with an important aspect of their life, made new friends, and learned to trust the staff at Hiawatha Homes.
This is just one of countless example of how Sheila positively impacts the lives of the individuals at Hiawatha Homes. The trusting relationships she has formed proves that she is the embodiment of an ARRM Cares Award Nominee.
Kathy: Creating New Experiences and Building Family Bonds
Since 1990, Kathy has worked in direct care with individuals living with disabilities. Kathy is fully dedicated to the disability services field – in the past, she has worked multiple jobs at once so that she could continue to work in direct care. Her other jobs helped fund her passion for supporting individuals with disabilities to live full and independent lives.
Kathy creates rewarding experiences for the individuals at Hiawatha Homes that compliment their goals and desires. Recently, she set up a new volunteer opportunity at an animal shelter for two individuals she supports at a Hiawatha home. One of the individuals had a goal to volunteer out in the community. Knowing this, Kathy went above and beyond to ensure the individual met this goal. One of the individuals loved animals, so when Kathy found a local animal shelter looking for volunteers, she knew it would be a perfect fit. Another individual at the home enjoyed being active and loved seeing all the neighborhood animals, so Kathy also invited this individual to volunteer. The volunteer process was demanding; Kathy had to register the individuals and attend multiple education classes. However, the results were worth it. The two individuals now regularly volunteer walking dogs and playing fetch, cuddling with puppies, and transporting the animals to adoption events. Kathy loves to take photos of the individuals with their new puppy friends; these photos adorn the individuals’ rooms and are sent out to their loved ones and case managers. Kathy takes a person-centered approach to meeting the goals of the individuals she supports and pairs their passions with meaningful and valuable community experiences.
Not only does Kathy excel at connecting individuals with new experiences, she also believes in the importance of creating meaningful relationships with friends and family. One individual she supported had moved to Hiawatha Homes from a state facility. The individual was a ward of the courts and did not communicate with their family members. Through Kathy’s initiative and hard work, this individual was able to reconnect with their family. The individual’s half-sister reached out and Kathy initiated a family meeting in St. Paul. Kathy continued to take the individual up to the cities and was a conduit for the bond that formed between the family members and the individual. Eventually, the individual built a loving relationship with their grandmother and grandfather. Kathy believes family connection and community supports are essential, and she is committed to providing these ties for all the individuals she supports.
There are countless additional examples of how Kathy has positively impacted the lives of the individuals she supports. Her creative and person-centered approach to care proves that she is the embodiment of an ARRM Cares Award Nominee.