Marjorie Richards

You could say I have been caring for people with disabilities all my life. My brother had a developmental and physical disability; he taught me how to listen and pay attention to people’s needs. Because of my relationship with my brother, other families in my community depended on me for support and respite.

My brother was not the root of my decision to pursue this career but I’m good at it because of him. I’ve been working as a direct support worker for more than 27 years. Over this time, I have worked in day programs and nursery schools and my favourite, private homes. I have provided in-home respite and organized camps and activities for children and young adults. I run my own business now, which works best for me. It allows me to work directly with families that share my values and build schedules that align with the funding they receive.

With many years in the field behind me, I have seen the ups and downs of government programs and funding. In Ontario, the current funding model does not meet the care needs of people with disabilities and families are struggling.

The lack of funding for services for people with disabilities trickles down to care providers like myself, too. The wages are low, making it challenging to attract new people into the sector, or keep them there for very long. There is little training and people get hurt (clients and care providers), especially those providing home care. Burnout is also significant for many DSPs. The expectations are great, and it can be challenging to take a break or go on vacation because of the demanding schedule.

Despite the challenges, I love being a support worker. Like any career in healthcare, it requires a lot of heart. In some ways, my clients have saved me, and I get just as much from them as they do from me. I feel like I was born to do it.