Submitted By: Lisa Anderson | The Arc of Rensselaer County
Eileen’s life is more rewarding and whole – a direct result of her relationship with Direct Support Professional Tamarah Boone. Tamarah is an employee of The Arc of Rensselaer County and her commitment to people with disabilities is supreme.
After Tamarah completed a CQL training, she began to have conversations with Eileen and ask questions a little differently. Tamarah learned that friendships were very important to Eileen and she wanted to focus on a specific friendship with a woman with whom she attended the Eddy, a senior’s program in Troy.
After some fact finding and conversation, Tamarah discovered Eileen considered Sophie a friend. Eileen expressed bring nervous about approaching Sophie because she did not know if Sophie felt the same way. Tamarah helped Eileen with ways to go about seeing if the feeling was mutual by assisting Eileen in getting her number, and inviting her to dinner. To Eileen’s delight, Sophie also considered Eileen a good friend.
Tamarah helped Eileen and Sophie to go to the park, out to eat, and over to Eileen’s house to watch scary movies. When Eileen realized that Sophie may be alone for Easter, she asked her to spend it together. Tamarah encouraged the ladies to make plans for the holiday and supported them with how they wanted to spend the day together.
As a direct result of Personal Outcome Measures® training, Tamarah was able to ask questions through a different lens and assist Eileen in achieving her goal of making and keeping a friend.
To this day, the friendship is growing and reciprocal in nature; this would not have been possible if Tamarah had not participated in CQL training and cared enough to ask questions to get to the heart of what is important to Eileen through a different lens and assist Eileen in achieving her goal of making and keeping a friend.
2017 Direct Support Professional Recognition Week
This article is part of a campaign during the 2017 DSP Recognition Week, to acknowledge Direct Support Professionals who are helping people achieve their individually-defined outcomes, through the use of Personal Outcome Measures®. This campaign was developed through a partnership between CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership and The National Alliance For Direct Support Professionals (NADSP).
Tamarah Boone: Supporting Eileen To Make And Keep A Friend