A Staff Member’s Perspective from State Road (Dec. 2023)

Homes with Heart work, in addition to empowering the people we support, empowers the staff as well. Read more about it in Marisa’s latest blog.

In much the same way that a foundation stabilizes a home, the staff of Heritage Christian Services stabilizes and grounds the agency and its services. Our direct support caregivers work hard each and every day to support people with a wide range of needs and goals. As we update and renovate our homes – thanks to funds raised through our Homes with Heart campaign – we ensure that our staff works hand-in-hand with our planners and builders.

For Maryah Owens, the residence manager at a home on State Road in Webster, having the laundry room and medical room on the main floor makes them easier and safer to access for people.

“We used to have a lot of issues getting downstairs to the laundry room,” Owens says, adding that they needed to help people take their baskets downstairs to ensure they were safe on the stairs. “People can do it independently now. That’s a very good thing,” she says.

The safety of those we support is important, as is providing supervision. One floor living and open floor plans allows staff to provide much better supervision while still giving people their personal space. It lessens the burden of needing to have staff support multiple floors, resulting in increased efficiency and ensuring that staff is close at hand when needed.  Individual bedrooms also provide private space and dignified support.

We are achieving greater accessibility inside and out. An outdoor patio has replaced the back deck, which was more difficult for people living in the home to access.

These renovations are good for those we support and good for those supporting them. They have been made possible through our Homes with Heart campaign. You can learn more about the work on State Road in the video below ! We hope to continue to make these kinds of renovations thanks to our generous donors.