I t is 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. The worship team is ready, and a steady trickle of people enter into the warehouse space where Odyssey Church meets. People greet one another as they come in, and noises of joy are heard throughout the space. As worship begins, the congregation members pour out their hearts in song, prayer, and learning about God together. As all of this unfolds, I look around the space and take mental note of people I need to check in with after the service ends. The people on my list are the staff and caregivers in the room.
Odyssey Church is a unique congregation. Odyssey was started 16 years ago as a ministry of Hopewell Reformed Church in Hopewell Junction, New York. Initially, this was a church plant of Hopewell Reformed, yet God had something different in mind. Now, the church plant has transformed into a congregation for people who are differently abled. A large portion of the congregation are individuals with intellectual disabilities who reside in residential group homes in the Poughkeepsie area. Accompanying these members are their caregivers—direct support professionals—who provide hands-on care for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Related: 10 ways your church can include people with disabilities
The ministry of caregivers
Direct support professionals (DSPs) are dedicated, often unseen people who work in our society. They pour out their hearts on the job, often leaving their own families to come and care for those who have none. They cook, clean, bathe, toilet, and love those in their care. They are asked to put on many different hats during a shift, and sometimes, when they should be going home, they become mandated to stay longer due to short staffing.
DSPs work countless hours, many of them putting in well over 60+ hours a week, both out of necessity of the job but also to make ends meet financially. Where I live, the starting rate at most agencies for a DSP is at or slightly above minimum wage, with full-time caregivers often making less than those working at the fast food restaurant down the road.
Support staff become family for many individuals. Often, individuals who live in residential homes do not have any involved family. Instead, the staff who are in their homes every day caring for them become their family. However, because of the low pay, it can be difficult to retain good employees. Recently, in New York State, there has been a campaign to obtain more direct support professionals. In addition to that, there have been years of advocacy to both acknowledge this work as a professional career and to compensate support staff fairly.
Prior to the pandemic, staffing could be challenging. During and post-pandemic, staffing became impossible. Burnout rates climbed and DSPs left the field at an alarming rate.
How is this fair and just? The simple answer: it’s not. Below are some suggestions for changing this narrative and loving the caregivers among us as Jesus would.
How to support caregivers
As Christians and churches, we are called to advocate not only for the full inclusion of people with disabilities, but also to advocate for and support their caregivers. Also important is to be mindful of accessibility both inside and outside of the church.
Get to know support staff
Assuming you know a person’s needs can lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding. Each caregiver, whether they are a paid staff or a natural support, comes from a unique situation. Get to know them and the person/people they care for! When there are relationships established, support comes along naturally. Sometimes the best questions to ask are: “How are you?” and “How can I help?”
Related: Building a friendship: the example of a good neighbour
Give small tokens of appreciation
One of the kindest acts I remember from my time as the manager of a group home happened during the Christmas season. An advocate of one of the ladies who resided in the home brought in a tin of fresh baked, homemade Christmas cookies. This delighted the staff and was a welcomed treat. While it seemed like a small gesture, it helped the staff recognize that their work does not go unnoticed.
Recognize other support people
While I have focused thus far on those who are hired as caregivers, individuals with disabilities often have unpaid caregivers and support people as well. This includes parents, siblings, extended family, close friends, and other advocates. These caregivers also devote countless hours, energy, and resources to take care of their loved one. Recognize their constant involvement and check-in on them, too.
Allow for time away
With a more-than-full-time, hands-on job, the rate of burnout is especially high among direct support professionals. When it is in your power and capability to do so, creating space for a caregiver to have some time for themselves can be a significant gift. This guide for respite care offers an overview of tasks and responsibilities you may be able to help with in caring for caregivers in tangible ways.
As the church continues to be mindful in supporting and loving people with disabilities, we simply cannot forget to extend similar care and support for their caregivers. Inclusion in the church—and loving like Jesus—means taking notice of what might prohibit someone from experiencing God (like feeling excluded or unseen), then working to remove that barrier.
Grow in inclusion ministry
Everybody Belongs, Serving Together is a comprehensive guide to church accessibility and inclusive ministry that will help your church embrace people with disabilities and their caregivers, not only as recipients of God’s love, but as partners in ministry. The guide features a plethora of insights, resources, and tips for becoming an inclusive church.
Rev. Sara Appleyard-Pekich
Rev. Sara Appleyard-Pekich serves as the associate minister for Odyssey at Hopewell Reformed Church in Hopewell Junction, New York. Sara has a lifetime of experience engaging with individuals with developmental disabilities and over a decade of experience working in both residential services and care management for those with developmental disabilities. Sara has a passion for disability advocacy and sharing the love of God with those in the margins.
