Thanksgiving is about family, friends and gratefulness. Those who work in the human services field often must spend their Thanksgiving away from their own friends and family to care for the needs of others. It can be frustrating to be away from our own family, but it is important to remember that every client is someone’s family. Striving to build positive working environments that support each other and those we serve throughout the year, but with special doses of care and compassion during the holidays.
A key factor in building positive environments is treating all individuals with dignity and respect. In lectures I often speak about treating clients how you would want your own family member treated. This fact hits close to home, since I have two grandsons with Down Syndrome. I hope and pray daily that my grandsons are treated with the utmost respect by their teachers and therapist. But the truth is that anyone of us can go from care provider to recipient at any time, accidents, strokes, or many other incidents can lead to the need for long term care.
So this Thanksgiving let it be the season of remembering to treat others the way they want to be treated, for we never know what the future may hold one day the one that needs care could be you.
Randel C. Goad – Mandt Faculty
