It’s well known in the communities involving respite that there is a great need for more care providers, whether they identify as Direct Support Professionals, Personal Care Assistants, Respite Providers, or other similar titles. Depending on the situation, this shortage of workers could affect families and individuals with disabilities, chronic illnesses, mental illnesses, or age related conditions (just to name a few). Combining the existing shortage with the aging population in New Hampshire, it is clear that this issue needs attention.
As someone new to the human services field, my personal misconceptions about direct care work have been corrected in the past few months. From my limited perspective before, I believed this work consisted only of helping with medical needs and physical personal care. Now I have learned that there is a huge range of possibility within this job; it all depends on who you work with. An individual may have medical needs, but there are also many who don’t. For example, there are companionship roles, where a worker might be helping an individual improve their social skills and attending activities in the community together. This is not a job field which requires the same specific skills for every position. A few basic skills needed to be successful in this job are relationship building, being dependable and supportive, and communicating well.
Communities and organizations helping families and individuals receive services understand the need for and importance of these jobs. Organizations in the state are focusing more on communicating this to those searching for a rewarding job. I believe by helping more people see the true nature of this work and how it can be a great start to a career path, we could hopefully begin to see a positive shift in the number of new, dedicated workers.
-Felicia Anfuso, AmeriCorps VISTA member
New Hampshire Lifespan Respite Coalition 