REGION: 6 – Long Island
DSP: Joan Walker
Position: Direct Support Assistant
Years of Service: 9
Joan Walker was selected as a Long Island Direct Support Professional of the Year because of her ability to stand out among the DSP crowd.
“Joan continuously goes above and beyond in her job responsibilities,” says Team Treatment Leader Vincent Cagnone. “She always puts the people’s needs above all else. Joan knows all aspects of their needs. She is also extremely eager to assist her coworkers and always shows up to work with a positive attitude. Joan is never complacent and frequently goes out of her way to interact with everyone, fostering solid relationships with the people we serve.
“Many great Direct Support Professionals work in our unit; however, Joan stands out from crowd,” adds Cagnone. “When she enters any room, you can see people light up. As an administrator you can see the close relationships that she has formed with people, who unfortunately, have little family involvement.
Joan brings in a positive attitude everyday with her sleeves rolled up and willingness to give her opinion on any relevant matter.
“There is one person that when he sees Joan walk into his home he immediately perks up and with nonverbal communication he says, ‘Get over here and give me a hug,’ which she gladly does,” Cagnone says. “It’s true that we need to be ‘Teachers’ to the people in our care, so they live as independently as possible, but there are some of whom need a loving caregiver, also. We forget that to a lot of people, the DSA staff is their family and to have wonderful staff like Joan makes all the difference in the world to the people we support.”
Cagnone says that despite what may be happening in her personal life, Joan leaves it at the door. She doesn’t just provide care but teaches life skills so that the people she supports may one day live as independently as possible.
“I’ve known Joan for years and she goes above and beyond for people who live in the home where she works,” adds Cagnone. “She is always pleasant and smiling from the moment she walks in the door; she is responsible, dependable, and advocates for all people with special needs; she is a team player, works well with her peers and can probably do my job as well.”
“Joan is a class act and a member of our team, I’m so happy to nominate her for this recognition, which she richly deserves,” he concluded.