Nakia S. Care Companion in Mount Vernon, NY 10550

Good morning. My name is Nakia. I am a student at Westchester Community set to graduate in May of 20192. I live in Mount Vernon NY, halfway between New York City and Connecticut. Like many of you, what motivates me to face each day and make it better than the day before are kids, family, your principles and your profession. I could tell you all about the first three things on my list of what matters, but let me speak a little bit about my work—really, my profession, which matters a great deal to me. I am a direct support professional. We use the term “DSP.” Direct Support is a straightforward, yet complicated profession. I work with individuals who have developmental disabilities (which includes intellectual disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and many neurological disabilities). The typical day in the life of a DSP I shop; I cook, clean, drive, lift, hold, hug, heal, guide, teach, solve and help. I transport people and also show them how to get from place to place as independently as possible; I am central to individual service planning; I teach self-determination and responsible choice; I assist people with disabilities to realize their dreams and their plans for next week; I use behavior modification techniques; I assist in all aspects of personal care, adaptive equipment and therapies as needed. Recently my only Grandmother was diagnosed with dementia and soon it will turn into Alzheimer’s. It’s very had to watch someone you love, forget all they know & fade away but it’s also important to care for those who are incapable for caring for themselves at the moment or maybe never again. That’s what encourages me too keep caring for people in the position I’m in now, until I’m qualified to show how much I care in other ways. One of the toughest challenges I welcomed this year was finding a “real” job for Chris, a young man with intellectual disabilities. I knew he had the potential. I wanted everyone else—employers, his family, as well as Chris himself—to see that same potential. I knew he was fully capable of working a real job and earning real pay. I just didn’t realize how hard it would be to get others to see what I saw. Determination and skills I learned from my credentialing program paid off. He is now working part time and looks forward to work. He loves what he does and has a great relationship with this boss and co- workers.