Discover the heart and mission behind Staffing With Love, a caregiver staffing agency in Jones County, IA, that is dedicated to providing exceptional care for special needs adults. With a deep understanding of special needs adult care, we strive to create a positive and nurturing environment where each individual can flourish.
What Our Staffing With Love Mission Is All About
My Experience With Other Staffing Agencies for Adults With Disabilities
I have managed my son's care staff since Billy was 22 years of age. Before I started managing staff for Billy’s needs, the home he lived in was supported by an agency — who found my involvement in Billy's day-to-day life, structure, and health very irritating. They told me at the time of his discharge they were not able to meet my expectations of care, so it was best they discharge him from their services.
Witnessing the frustrations and lack of understanding from the agencies that previously supported Billy's home, I recognized the need for a change. As a founder of Staffing With Love, I was determined to create a different approach to staffing for adults with disabilities. I wanted to provide a service that prioritized individual needs, embraced family involvement, and fostered a deep understanding and commitment to each person's well-being.
The Power of Consistent Care
Billy's routine is very important to him and his success. Billy and I have been fortunate to have a staff member who has been with him for 15 years now. She has been a staple over the years, staff will always come and go because life happens to us all, but having someone who knows Billy through those changes has eased the anxiety that goes with the change. Finding individuals who want AND can do that is not always easy.
My hope is that we figure out how to attract those types of caring individuals for as long as possible in the same home with the same person to build a network of people who understand, respect, guide, and support that one person as needed through life. If this grows to two persons, or maybe three, four, or more that is fine with me. At Staff With Love, we want to stay small and focused on the individuals' goals and dreams and be creative on how we can support them to reach those.
Becoming Part of Your Team
In the past, with a caregiver staffing agency controlling the care and hiring the care providers I have felt closed out from the process, and my feedback was unimportant. What we will do is make the parent or guardian involved in this process. We want them to participate as much as they want to. Parents or guardians need to continue to be an active part of the lives of adults with disabilities as we nurture new caregivers into the individual's life. At Staffing With Love, we want to be a part of the team that the individual already has; not take the team over. We want to enhance their life, from what they already have; not change in a way they don't want.
Helping Pursue Purpose, Health, and Happiness
Staffing With Love, a caring staff agency, grew from a place of wanting a different level of service for Billy. As Billy's family learned about eating cleaner, we want that for Bill. We wanted Billy to have a more active role in the community to help him achieve a sense of purpose and fulfillment by doing what he enjoys and does well.
Pulling from one of Billy's loves in life (animals) Billy now walks dogs at the animal welfare shelter five days a week. To assist in his weight loss journey and bypass full-blown diabetes, Billy attends water aerobics five days a week, rides his bicycle every opportunity he has, and walks many days throughout the week. To support his love of socializing and helping people, Billy has started to volunteer at a nursing home. Adults with special needs who are overweight are at a higher risk for various health issues, like diabetes, that can arise as a result. We want to educate him on how to bypass chronic illness, in simple terms and everyday habits, rather than just waiting for it to attack him.
We believe all of these points are truly going to assist individuals to become their best selves. Heck learning this stuff for myself has helped me become a better me! How can it not work for my son and other adults with disabilities?
A Deeper Look into Staffing With Love
Staffing With Love donations will give us access to additional funding to help raise the standard of living that we want for him. Once we become successful with staffing Billy's home we will consider opening another home to replicate those same standards and services to that home as well.
We foster a culture of genuine respect, commitment, and engagement with people who work with adults who have special needs. This care is carried out with staff who are passionate about their jobs and how they improve the lives of the people that they work with.
Caregivers are committed to a routine schedule as agreed upon when hired. They cover a broader range of caregiving roles, including house care and hygiene tasks that may not always be considered as enjoyable. Volunteers, on the other hand, are committed to volunteering during a time that suits them. They engage in activities that both they and the individuals enjoy doing. It's important to note that caregivers are paid for their services, while volunteers generously donate their time without receiving monetary compensation.
Our Vision
To recruit staff for each individual we serve with skills and abilities that will best support the needs of the individuals we serve, as well as supporting our staff to be their best selves.
Our Mission
Our mission is to positively impact people with disabilities by making thoughtful decisions about how to help them live their best lives. This mission will be carried out by choosing caregivers who are motivated to provide exceptional experiences for each individual they serve.
At Staffing With Love, we are dedicated to impacting people with disabilities by elevating the standard of care by onboarding caregivers who are motivated to provide exceptional experiences for each individual to live their best life. Get in touch with us today to join our mission!
Board of Directors
- Nancy Smith
- Dana Murray
- Laura Diers
- Barb Kass
- Tina Ries