Today’s Front Line Hero is Lutheran Family Services of Virginia, and all the Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who faithfully serve Virginians with disabilities on a daily basis, pandemic or not.
Direct Support Professionals work on the front lines, caring for the physical and emotional well-being of individuals with disabilities. LFS VA Group Home Supervisor Angela Quinn wrote in a recent newsletter that she worries about individuals with disabilities living in group homes because they are so routine-oriented. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly disrupts their routine, including how they perform their jobs, receive job-training, and experience community outings. However, DSPs are rising to address these new challenges in the group homes. In addition to making preparations and decisions that protect individuals in their care on a daily basis, they have become entertainers, teachers, professional Nintendo Wii players, and total socialization packages for the people they serve.
DSPs cannot work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Quinn says the DSPs at LFS VA are wonderfully committed to their work and in high spirits. Though they already have a full plate, they are demonstrating dedication and flexibility with the changing needs presented by the pandemic. Their positive attitudes translate to the people they serve, and any time Quinn calls a group home, she hears the familiar sounds of laughter and contentment.
Thank you to all the Direct Support Professionals at Lutheran Family Services of Virginia! Your work on the front lines supporting individuals with disabilities is so appreciated!
