AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — On an average weekday morning things mostly are quiet in a group home in Amherst while the people who live there are in programs. That’s when human support services staff members get to work.
“We help finish whatever cleaning in the house needs to be done, we start prepping dinner for the day, we prep lunches for the next day, make sure that everything is ready for when they do come home,” said Sean Hayes, People Inc. Senior Residential Supervisor.
Six people with a range of developmental and physical disabilities live in the home. It’s staffed with workers 24 hours a day 7 days a week, with at least two workers per shift.
“We have a couple of individuals here who are very OCD and they have routines so if their stuff isn’t ready as soon as they come in it kind of throws their day off so we make sure that when they arrive home from program everything is all set for them and ready to go,” said Hayes.
The human support services workers do a number of things around the home, and take the people who live there on outings. Staff members say there’s been a lack of new recruits, and they’re needed to help make things run smoothly.
“It’s hard to go on outings and integrate people in the community if you only have two staff on,” said Hayes.
“You’re really there to advocate for them and assist them in their day to day skills and just to help them live as independently as possible so you really would be making a difference in someones life,” said Chanice Johnson, People Inc. Recruitment Coordinator.
For more information on a human services support position, go to www.people-inc.org/careers or call the recruitment office at 716-322-7050.