Dedicated Caregiver Helps People Live Their Best Lives

Regional Center of Orange County Honors Kelly Williams

National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, Sept. 8-14, 2019

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Sep 03, 2019, 13:12 ET

SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelly Williams of Fullerton, a direct support professional who was honored with a Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) 2019 Spotlight Award for her work, is more than a caregiver to the people with disabilities she serves. She helps them live their best lives.

"I wake up every morning and just love going to work, seeing all the people I support, and helping them live a life they deserve," she said. Describing what she loves most about her work, Kelly, also a mother of two young children, said, "I learn from them every day and I strive to make their lives better. A few of them have gone through hard times, but I never gave up on them."

Kelly always had a big heart for people who need extra help, beginning with her grandmother's sister who she helped with doctor appointments and other tasks. In fact, she was hired by Creative Support in Huntington Beach just out of high school, and has provided independent living and parenting instruction to people with developmental disabilities for 11 years.

Currently working with eight adults and four children served by RCOC, she takes a person-centered approach – respecting their wishes and guiding them through challenging situations, while working to ensure that each person she serves has the opportunity to live the type of life they want. The support she provides touches on everything from meal preparation, healthy living and daily routines, to doctor appointments, interpersonal relationships and stress management:

One person she assists has Williams Syndrome, an intellectual disability. The 36-year-old is very friendly, doesn't understand social boundaries, and cannot be left alone. Kelly supervises the staff providing 24-hour care to make sure he is safe in his home.
She assists a 45-year-old woman with memory problems related to epilepsy who receives care from her sister. Kelly and the sister are working together to help the woman, who also has diabetes, to be healthier, including creating a journal to track her eating and blood sugar.
Some time ago, she worked with a man with an intellectual disability who became homeless and ended up living in a riverbed. After getting back on his feet with her assistance, he moved to Oklahoma. He recently called from there just to tell Kelly how he was doing.

"Kelly is a wonderful role model who makes genuine connections with the people we serve," said Larry Landauer, RCOC's Executive Director. "She and other direct care professionals like her are vital to the California's regional center system of community care and we can't overstate our appreciation for the work they do."

About Regional Center of Orange County

Regional Center of Orange County is the private, nonprofit organization contracted by the State of California to coordinate life-long services and supports for more than 22,000 Orange County residents with developmental disabilities and their families. Developmental disabilities include intellectual disabilities, autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy.

Direct Support Professional Recognition Week

Direct Support Professional Recognition Week is part of an American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) national advocacy campaign. Celebrated annually across the country, it honors the tens of thousands of workers who enable people with developmental and other significant disabilities and their families to live healthy lives in their communities.

SOURCE Regional Center of Orange County