Being a full-time teacher, a caregiver and mother are all very rewarding things to do, but can quickly become overwhelming. Debbie Andre knows this all too well, as this was her position just a few years ago.
Now, Andre cares for her 19-year-old daughter Kaitlyn Andre who has spina bifida. The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) program offers Debbie the opportunity to become a caregiver at Ability360, which allows her the emotional and financial freedom to care for her daughter, while helping to lower her stress of balancing so much at once.
“Juggling Kaityn's medical care needs, appointments, therapy and a profession was very challenging,” Debbie said.
She was also left wondering what she would do about work in the morning whenever Kaitlyn would wake up with high fevers or other critical health problems that required immediate attention. These factors, among other reasons, influenced her to make the decision to leave her job as a special education teacher and become Kaitlyn’s caretaker full-time. While this was a good decision, it presented some financial stress on the family. When Debbie heard of Ability360’s caregiving services, she jumped on the opportunity.
“We do a lot with the recreational side of Ability360, and I love working with their staff and how they respect this community,” Debbie said.
“Finding out that I could be the one to take care of her was a great fit for our family,” she added.
The benefits of becoming a DDD caregiver
More than 50,000 Arizonans use DDD, which provides care to those diagnosed with various disabilities. DDD services are personalized to ensure each person gets the services they need. The Andre family was able to utilize DDD services and make the right adjustments for their family.
“Transitioning into the DDD services and into a paid, full-time caregiver was a very smooth and stress free process,” Debbie said. “Ability360 made it as easy on me as possible.”
Several trainings and certifications were done online at her own convenience, with someone available to answer any questions she had. Thanks to the caregiving position, Debbie and her daughter’s quality of life improved and they were not nearly as overwhelmed, giving them more time to focus on their relationship as a family.
Kaitlyn is very outdoorsy, and loves to participate in kayaking, fishing, swimming and other outdoor recreation.
“We spend more time doing recreation, social activities that bring joy to her life,” she said.
Debbie is also glad that she can be the primary caregiver for Kaitlyn.
“I know Kaitlyn’s medical history, I know what she likes and doesn’t like,” said Debbie. “It’s just wonderful for someone that knows the individual so well and has that history together to be the provider.”
If people want to become caregivers themselves, Debbie noted how Ability360 is an excellent resource.
“I’ve been so pleased with everything Ability360 has done to support me, to support Kaitlyn. Anytime I need a question answered [or] I need assistance with something, there’s always someone I can call,” Debbie said.
“I just feel so secure knowing that Ability360 is in our back pocket.”
More information about becoming a caregiver with Ability360 can be found here.