Among the things that cause us concern and worry is our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). These front line, amazing, committed professionals are doing the exact opposite of what most of the rest of us are doing. As we seek the safety of our homes, of being connected to our families and looking after them as is our natural instinct, our DSPs, our front line leaders, our nurses, our maintenance crew…so many of us are doing the exact opposite.
We see the rightful celebration of the world’s healthcare professionals, the doctors and nurses that are on the front lines themselves, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the rest of us. My brother in law is a physician—he is tired and operates in a constant state of worry about his patients, his daughters and his amazing bride, my sister. I have texted him many times just to say thank you, and to tell him I love him. He deserves my thanks, and he and all his colleagues deserve our gratitude.
So too, if not even more so do our DSPs and our nurses and our maintenance crew and our front line leadership deserve our deep and abiding thanks. They would be forgiven for considering their own health and the health and wellbeing of their families and friends first and foremost. But our JFGH staff--heroes by any definition--come to work, committed to the incredible people to whom JFGH provides support. They are our leaders in this health crisis.
