Kylie Begley (middle) with Charity (left) and Elizabeth.
Deidra Begley has worked for Dungarvin Indiana for 32 years, most of that time as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) caring for three women through Residential Services. A bond between Deidra and the women she supported became strong over the years, and each became an extension of her family. In fact, when Deidra’s two daughters were old enough to have careers of their own, they joined Dungarvin, supporting these same women!
“These ladies knew me when I was young; they saw me get married, have children, and now my children have supported them as well. It’s really sweet,” said Deidra, who today is a Scheduling Manager in the Dungarvin Indiana office.
There are actually many examples of multiple family members working for Dungarvin within its operations around the country. It speaks to the organization’s positive culture, as well as employee loyalty, trust and satisfaction.
Deidra’s daughter Kylie no longer works for Dungarvin, as she’s in college studying to be a special education teacher. But Deidra’s other daughter, Faith Schwark, still works part time as a DSP supporting the three women, Charity, Jessica and Elizabeth, all of whom live with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Deidra said supporting the women came naturally to both of her daughters.
From right are Deidra Begley, Charity and Dungarvin DSP Deloris Jacobs.
“They just knew how to do it; they knew from watching me their entire lives,” Deidra said. “It doesn’t feel like a job; it’s like being part of a family or a team. They make the individuals feel comfortable, because they just feel at home. It’s the most fun job there is.”
When Kylie and Faith had questions related to supporting the women, their mom has always been a trusted and experienced source for the answers. Deidra has enjoyed seeing her daughters work with Charity, Jessica and Elizabeth. “But you
know, the ladies always used to be so excited to see me; they would be like ‘Deidra’s here, Deidra’s here!’ Now, when I go see them with Kylie, they’re all excited to see her,” Deidra said with a chuckle.
Three Agency Companion Providers in One Family
In Oklahoma, Jene Morris, sister Shana and niece Euriah are all Dungarvin Agency Companion providers, each supporting two people with I/DD in their respective homes. Five of the six individuals they support are children, ranging from 6 years old to teenagers, while one is a man in his 30s.
Jene with the two children he supports, Benjamin and Marianna.
Jene often gets together with Shana and/or Euriah, along with the individuals served, for fun outings. Many times they gather at Shana’s rural home, where there’s plenty of things to do, including a playground, swings and battery-powered go-karts.
“We also take them to see concerts, ball games and all kinds of stuff,” said Jene, who recently was recognized with the ANCOR DSP of the Year Award for Oklahoma.
Being able to provide respite for each other is another significant benefit for Jene and his family members. Caregiving is rewarding, but it can also be extremely demanding. Knowing that they can count on each other to take great care of those they serve allows them to take the occasional break to recharge.
Like so many other Dungarvin team members around the country, both Jene and Deidra have felt confident in recommending the organization to other family members interested in direct support opportunities.
If you or someone in your family is interested in learning more about careers at Dungarvin, please visit www.DungarvinCareers.com. If you or someone you know is interested in learning how you can receive support from Dungarvin, please visit www.Dungarvin.com to learn more.