JARC HEART - A Philosophy Of Care
JARC HEART is the foundation upon which all services are built. It is a set of standards, values and attitudes that promises a quality of life we would want for ourselves if we had a disability. It gives a deeper meaning to our work and distinguishes us from other care providers. Without it, we are little more than custodial aides and paperwork clerks.
JARC HEART means:
- LOVING, GENTLE, THOROUGH PHYSICAL CARE – the way we would hope to be cared for if we were dependent on others for our care. It means scrupulously clean bodies, accomplished with as much dignity and privacy as possible. It means caring about the not-so-obvious things, such as dry skin, clean teeth, and nails. It means age-appropriate, stylish haircuts that are kept clean and conditioned. It means ample, clean, up-to-date clothing in good repair that is well fitting and matches.
- A FOCUS ON INDIVIDUALS – a dedication to relating warmly to the people we serve as individuals whose opinions, interests and emotions are paramount and come before all else. It means promoting the lifestyle chosen by the people we serve and encouraging interaction and interdependence among them. It means turning the car radio to the station they choose, going to the restaurant for which they have a taste and enabling them to take their dream vacation. It means building a positive, trusting relationship with families receiving respite care and their children with disabilities. By viewing ourselves as key members of the person’s support system, not just employees paid only to perform certain job duties, we are creating an environment conducive to growth, choice, independence and personal satisfaction.
- A CLEAN, WARM, BEAUTIFUL JEWISH HOME - taking personal responsibility for all agency property, constantly watching for anything that may detract from its safety or appearance and correcting it immediately. It means picking up a piece of trash from the lawn in front of the home, condo, or office, ironing a wrinkled tablecloth for Shabbat, having a tire checked which looks low on air. It means creating a beautiful Jewish atmosphere through festive celebrations, beautiful music, traditional observances and mouth-watering menus.
- BEING AN ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY - a constant awareness of our relationships with the community. It means providing opportunities for people served by JARC to give back to the community through giving tzedakah, serving meals at homeless shelters, helping a neighbor take out her garbage, and volunteering at temple or synagogue. It means smiling and waving to the neighbors, including the unfriendly ones. It means initiating conversation to make hosts and visitors feel comfortable. It is remembering that we are JARC, and the impression we leave is indelible.
- RELENTLESS, CONSTANT, PASSIONATE ADVOCACY - believing so much in each person’s right to be cared for in a warm, loving way and lead a meaningful, productive life that we advocate for even the tiniest change that will further that goal. It means our continual responsibility to protect those whom we serve from physical harm, humiliation, intimidation, and exploitation. If means contributing to the strength and stability of the agency through creative problem-solving, exciting program development and practical cost-saving measures. It means never being satisfied with fair or good, but always striving for the best.
- MAKING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS – the commitment to facilitating opportunities for social connections and friendships between the people we serve and those in their lives who do not have disabilities. It means frequenting the same coffee shop at the same time each week so that the people served by JARC become “regulars” who are known and welcomed. It means striving for full inclusion for those we serve in their neighborhood school. Individually, it means making it a priority for the person who loves gardening to join the local gardening club. It means prompting those served by JARC to become greeters at synagogue or church, or inviting the friendly cashier at Kroger to the house for dinner. It means encouraging the people we serve to send birthday cards, take home-made cookies to a sick co-worker, or offering to walk the dog of the neighbor who is away.
JARC HEART means working as a community - as a team - to provide the best, to create the best, to be the best. This is more that a job - it’s a mission!