Worden & Foster Receive Life Improved Award Nominations

For many of our employees, caring for people with developmental disabilities is their job and a job they love to do, but for some caring for the developmentally disabled doesn't end at the end of their work day.

Heather Worden plays the keyboard with Joey.

Sandi-Jo Foster and Heather Worden are both DSPs at the Spruce Street IRA. They are both Life Improved Award nominees and they both have a family member who is developmentally disabled.

Both women were nominated by Carolynn Swanson, who noted that the experience they bring with them to work each day is invaluable.

Sandi-Jo Foster with Assitant Program Manager Karen Howie

'Sandy has a unique genuineness in her care for the residents. I feel she deserves this award because she truly cares about each resident's well-being," Ms. Swanson wrote. "She understands what it is like for a family to have a family member in this type of situation, as her son is autistic. When she does care for a resident, she treats them the way they deserve to be treated and the way she would want her own son to be cared for."

"Heather Worden also cares for the residents in a unique was as she also has a family member with developmental disabilities," Ms. Swanson wrote. "She always goes above and beyond her duties in order to assist in caring for the residents, regardless of whether or not it is her immediate responsibility. She is constantly helping other shifts with their responsibilities when no other staff member is willing to step up and she provides each resident with the respect and care that they deserve."