When Derek Scott finished his double major in Geology and Environmental Science at Winona State University, he did what you might expect right after graduation: he got a job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Though he did get to work on a trout stream restoration project, most of his job revolved around sitting in front of a computer working with maps day after day. He had been looking forward to more of a challenge and found he was not happy in his job.

At the time, Derek’s girlfriend was working as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) at Home and Community Options.  She encouraged him to think about a career change, or at least consider a job at HCO for the interim. He finally took her advice and applied. Derek has since advanced to become a Program Assistant with HCO in early 2018, and his girlfriend is now teaching special education at Winona Senior High School. “It isn’t rocks,” Derek jokes, “but it isn’t sitting at a computer all day, that’s for sure!” Each day presents a new challenge, and Derek has found that it’s a job that makes him feel as if he has accomplished something: giving support to others who need it. Even when things get hectic at times, when he thinks back to his previous desk job, he knows he can handle the chaos.

Derek cares for one man and three women who live together. They range in age from mid-twenties to eighties, and all have very different personalities. A number of the individuals in the home are non-verbal, although one woman does use some sign language. “It can be a challenge to understand non-verbal individuals,” says Derek, “but you learn to interpret signs and also to give the individuals options to choose.” That is something Derek teaches new staff at the program. Don’t just assume that someone who can’t speak doesn’t want to have a choice and a say in his/her life.

The young man, who moved to the program from his family home, has seemed to really settle in. “It is wonderful to see how his independence is blossoming,” Derek says. “He takes pride in helping the women when they need it. He likes to watch YouTube and Netflix while the women listen to music.” Derek can see this individual going on to live with some other men, or even independently, down the road.

Derek works to support these individuals in a variety of ways. He helps with physical therapy like walking, using a stander to assist with improving movement, or arm strengthening exercises. One woman has been exploring new foods with Derek’s help. Though she is mostly non-verbal, she definitely lets you know when she likes something and is always game for trying new things – like avocados! She also likes to listen to music and loves Lawrence Welk. “If it were up to her,” Derek jokes, “we would probably be watching Lawrence Welk nine hours a day!” She recently retired from DAC, and had begun helping pack backpacks full of food for school kids that may not have had enough to eat at home on the weekends. “When the local schools switched over to distance-learning because of COVID, they were no longer doing the backpacks program.” Derek shares. “It was really too bad – it was one of her favorite activities to do each week. So, one thing I came up with is to have her and one of her housemates help me sort and put away groceries on grocery day. So far, they have both seemed to really enjoy it and it gets them working together as a team.”

COVID-19 has affected the individuals Derek supports in a myriad of ways. All of the individuals in the house have difficulty wearing a mask for long periods of time, so it has been extremely important to make sure the individuals keep a 6-foot distance between each other. This hasn’t been too difficult because they all have their own “areas” of the house, but splitting them up during meal times has been a challenge. Staff wear surgical masks during all shifts. Gowns and additional types of PPE are worn regularly based on the level or type of care that is needed. Routine sanitation and disinfection also occur throughout each day in order to help reduce the risk of potential exposure.

The beginning of the pandemic was fairly difficult for a couple of the individuals who are very social and like to have a routine. One of the hardest parts was trying to explain to them exactly what was unsafe and why. Being unable to go to places that they normally would, and not being able to enjoy social outings in the same way really affected them early on. Another individual is much more reserved and prefers to spend time alone, so it was a big adjustment to suddenly have everyone around all the time. She was struggling a lot when Derek first began working at the program, but has become more comfortable in the house over time.

On the other hand, one of the individuals is absolutely loving the changes to her routine. Derek believes that having more one-on-one time with her has really improved the support that they have been able to provide to her. Her personality has blossomed so much during the pandemic, and her roommates and staff have learned much more about her. She sings and hums almost all day now, which was something she hasn’t done for several years.

They all have definitely experienced some “cabin fever” moments here and there, but over time, they have sort of found their “new” daily routine. Staff at the program work hard to get everyone out of the house regularly, as well as keep them connected with friends and loved ones. Van rides occur daily, and they frequently take socially-distanced walks around town.  They have been keeping busy by doing a variety of activities around the house, and afternoon naps have also become very popular.

While it was a big change coming to work at HCO, Derek shares that everyone on staff worked to help train him for the job and were very supportive. Sometimes, you just end up learning on the job when something new and different comes at you. “It’s a good environment,” Derek says, “and every day brings something new – even humor.” He never dreads going to work and he likes knowing that he can go home after each shift feeling good about his work.

Despite the career switch, Derek does still follow his passion for stones. He has a small online business selling gems and crystals, and enjoys searching for ethically sourced stones. He likes to know the “name of the person who pulled it out of the ground.” He has been known to take crystals to work on occasion to show to the individuals he works with, and they, too, marvel at the beauty of things that come from the earth.

 

Cedar Paulson Mueller was married last October. She met her future husband when she was in high school and working part-time at Fleet Farm. “I don’t know how he fell for me when I was wearing that orange shirt!” Cedar jokes.

Originally from Cochrane, Wisconsin, Cedar grew up attending Cochrane-Fountain City Schools but graduated from Winona Senior High School. She later went on to attend Winona State University and majored in Social Work.

Her introduction to Home and Community Options came while she was taking a service learning class in high school. Her teacher suggested choosing a field that would be challenging and out of her area of experience, so Cedar chose the Developmental Achievement Center (DAC). The DAC provides coaching and job support to people with disabilities, and while there, Cedar heard a lot about HCO from the people there. Cedar thought, “Gee, how fun would it be to work with people all day long instead of just while they are at work!” so she applied to HCO in 2014 and has been here ever since.

When she began working for HCO, she provided support to four gentlemen. “It was super fun,” she shared. In her years with the agency, she has supported people living in their own homes/apartments or with family and has also worked with young children. Cedar thinks that Winona seems to be unique in the fact that there are so many agencies that serve individuals with special needs. She says she talks to people from other towns and they are amazed, because they don’t have such resources. One of her favorite parts of the job is getting to know the individuals and their loved ones. “What you can learn from them is so important,” she says.

Cedar is currently the Primary Counselor at a program supporting a group of women with ages ranging from 23 to 91. Cedar emphasizes that the job is primarily a teaching job. Early on in her career with HCO, a coworker told Cedar, “Work yourself out of a job. Teach them so well that they don’t need you anymore.” Cedar teaches not only the individuals she supports, but also the new staff who come in to help. And, she says, she teaches staff how to teach, too.

When Cedar is training new staff, she always tells them to treat the individuals the way staff would like to be treated, or how they would want a family member to be treated and cared for. “Clean as if you were cleaning for your family,” she tells them. If a new staff member makes a mistake, it is often because they have no experience in keeping someone else safe. It’s not always super tough, she tells new staff. “It’s usually smooth sailing, but there are hiccups sometimes!” Cedar says it’s all about teaching, and she encourages staff to “use your resources.”

Cedar feels that having empathy is an extremely important part of the job. “If you don’t have empathy to start, you’ll definitely gain it after working at HCO!” It’s also important as a staff to find a balance between doing things for someone when they need it and encouraging them to do what they are capable of doing. “They should be allowed to do everything they can for themselves – even the kids. When you let go of control, you allow someone else to be your teacher.”

Patience is helpful too – both with the people you support but also with yourself. There are times when Cedar remembers coming home frustrated. “It is something you constantly work on,” Cedar says. Some days are a struggle. “Other days, I come home from work and say, ‘I did really well today!’”

COVID has made life for those she supports very different. Since they have a few people at a higher risk if they were to contract COVID-19, it is essential to be cautious and take extensive measures to ensure their safety. The staff understand that the ladies’ safety is important and are doing as much as they can to reduce the risk. They eat meals at different times, sanitize high touch surfaces often, frequently wash their hands, and they all wear masks – even the ladies. “It has been a challenge at times.”

Everyone is currently home and trying to stay busy. The women Cedar supports are not currently working, so they do a lot of crafts in their spare time. Some ladies enjoy their alone time watching TV, playing games, or being on their computers. They talk to friends on the phone and participate in zoom activities. Like everyone, the ladies are sometimes bummed that so many events and activities are cancelled. While they aren’t going out and doing as many things like they used to, they understand the importance of being safe and healthy.

Cedar emphasizes that they are all part of a team and that part of the job is making sure everyone is safe – both individuals and coworkers. Cedar has been exposed to coworkers that have tested positive twice. “Both times I freaked out a bit,” she says. “I am pregnant, so I am considered high risk because they are not sure how the virus can (or if it does) affect the baby. The first time I was exposed, I was only about 10 weeks. More recently, I have been 30+ weeks, so the stress for me hasn’t gotten any better,” she shared. “Overall, HCO has handled the positive cases well. Each time, I received a phone call from our Executive Director explaining the situation and assessing my exposure level.” Data surrounding COVID-19 is constantly changing as more information is being learned about the virus, so HCO works closely with the Minnesota Department of Health to interview and assess exposures of staff and the individuals HCO supports. This enables HCO to continually assess the infection control practices at their residential sites, develop improved protocols, and provide additional staff training if needed.

Adequate staffing was an ongoing challenge for HCO before the pandemic, and the struggle has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. When someone is being tested and they have symptoms, they are not able to work until their test results come back. The care needs of those HCO serves haven’t lessened and it can be a struggle for many HCO programs to find alternative support when a scheduled staff cannot come in to work due to illness or a potential exposure. Luckily, current employees have been very understanding, flexible, and willing to pick up additional shifts to help – often at the last minute. “Our house has done well and staff have been more than willing to pick up their co-workers’ hours, Cedar shares. “We are so grateful for our fantastic bunch of staff we have.”

For staff, getting to know the people you support is the key to providing high quality care. Knowing people’s interests is important to helping them enjoy life, but knowing what they struggle with or dislike can be just as important. “Sometimes jokes and a good laugh will improve everyone’s mood, but other times, it might take having some one-on-one time with an individual who is struggling.” Cedar will often spend time with an individual one-on-one to chat and provide encouragement, or offer a bubble bath. The house has a big walk-in tub, and all the women love a bubble bath. “We all have cranky days,” Cedar says. “Usually everything can be fixed or talked out. Everyone is different.”

Despite all the changes because of COVID-19, Cedar shares that the best part of the job is working with the individuals day-to-day and seeing what brings them joy or makes them laugh. “I wish more people knew about HCO,” she says. “We do a lot of amazing things. The world would look very different if more people understood just how much we are all capable of.”

 

---

HCO warmly congratulates Cedar and her husband, Dylan, on the recent birth of their baby girl, Birdie!