Kathleen is this month’s Stellar Staff! She is a support specialist in Senior and Disability Services in Ketchikan.
Kathleen has been helping people for years. She used to work in Anchorage with teenagers who were facing severe mental health challenges, at Alaska Children’s Services and Alaska Psychiatric Institute. When she moved back to Ketchikan to take care of her parents, she found out about Community Connections. She was helping people in the community anyways, so decided she might as well get paid for it!
Kathleen started out coordinating support services for adults with developmental disabilities and seniors. Since then, she has transitioned to working directly with seniors, supporting them in their homes and delivering any groceries and medications they need.
She says it’s hard to see the seniors she works with get older and not able to do as much on their own. “But I get hugs everyday…. So I do really feel appreciated.”
Kathleen also started our Holiday Sock Drive, where we collect socks and outerwear for children, adults with disabilities, and seniors and deliver gifts to them near the holidays.
Kathleen likes to hike, spend time with her family and friends, and occasionally do a half marathon or two. She particularly likes spending time in the forest or at the beach. She doesn’t go to church very often anymore, but she says the outdoors is her church; it’s where she feels uplifted.
“My motto is “Smile, things could always be worse.”” 🙂
Thanks Kathleen, for all you do to support seniors in Ketchikan!
We feature staff as part of our monthly Stellar Staff Spotlight. The spotlight rotates between programs (Children’s Mental Health, Early Learning, and Senior & Disability Services), and between Ketchikan and Prince of Wales, with a focus on recognizing direct service staff.