A Day in the Life: Rickke Mabie
A Career Employee Defining Person-Centered Support
Roots
I started working in this field right out of college in 1988. I responded to an ad in the newspaper for a job called “Bridge Builders” through the ARC of Rensselaer. The job was about connecting people to their community, creating recreational activities, helping people plan their vacations, and finding their own jobs. I was there until 1995.
I left ARC because my family moved to the Saratoga Springs area, and I found AIM Services and started working here on April 1st, 1995. I was hired into a mixed role as a QIDP Residential Manager. QIDP stands for Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional, and my job was to coordinate plans of care for the people that lived in a residential home. My previous role at ARC was seemingly ahead of its time; there was a lot of consideration for the future and thoughtfulness about the people we are serving. But this new role at AIM was different, what we do at AIM is just different. Although I was very new to the field, I was asked just a few years into my position to become an instructor and teacher. This was an incredible opportunity. I liked seeing different people coming into the agency, influencing them, and teaching them how we support the people we serve. Through this position, I have grown so much in understanding the impact we can have on people. I have learned how to see who is here for the right reasons, and it has guided my teaching.
Defining Memories
I have so many things I feel proud to have been part of through my over 30-year career at AIM, but a few stand out. One is attending a conference in D.C. where I watched one of the earliest screenings of Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace, and I met Geraldo Rivera. Willowbrook was a state school for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The documentary revealed the deplorable abuse and neglect of the children living there and was a catalyst for subsequent legislation and protection for people with disabilities, and the ultimate shutting down of institutions. Willowbrook is a documentary we show all of our new hire training classes to this day. It continues to influence me and challenges me to always think about how we can do better to support people.
Another notable experience occurred just 4 or 5 years into my time at AIM. I was asked to do a family education training at someone’s home. Essentially, I was asked to do behavioral assessment and training to find out what was causing some behavioral challenges for their son, Todd. After just 3 hours we got to the root of the problem. When I got back to the office, all of my supervisors were waiting for me. I thought I was in trouble, but in fact the family had called and asked me to be the temporary staff support for their son. Today, I am still supporting him, and know the true meaning of temporary! Our relationship has gone above and beyond just work, and he is someone I check in with often and spend time with. These relationships that are formed with the people we support are very important to me and I work in the homes we support as often as I can.
A Teacher’s Influence
In my role as Assistant Director of Staff Development, I get to influence so many different people in various roles. No matter where you’re working or what you’re doing, we have a shared dedication to the people we support, and I can help people see their hand in that.
I would say that there is at least one person in every new hire training that I encounter that is scared or unsure of working in this field. I get to help them see that the same things we want and dream about in our lives are the same things the people we support want and dream about. I show them that the majority of the people we support can self-advocate and that we are the background support along their journey. I continue to build comfort, not fear, for the staff. One way is to educate them on different communication styles. I do an exercise where people are able to discover the communication styles that work for them in their position. It helps them intimately reflect on the fact that if the person we support has a different style of communication, we need to discover that in order to build a relationship with them. People use their voice and we reflect it back to them so they know we understand and care. We need to move beyond the assumptions surrounding people who do not communicate verbally. It teaches us the necessity of finding a balance of protecting people and ensuring dignity of risk. Dignity of risk means every person has the core human right to make their own choices and take personal risks, even if those choices lead to failure. As for many of us, we needed to try and fail to ultimately land where we wanted to be. Everyone needs and deserves this human experience.
I have stayed at AIM for over 30 years for many different reasons. The reward in making a difference in someone’s life is a great way to lead your life. I have learned more about life and living from the people we support than anyone else. This work is what I know, and I have no interest in knowing anything else as far as a career goes. The people we support have had countless staff go in and out of their lives, and I am proud to be one that has stayed. I love this job and the opportunity that I’ve had to build so many relationships. I have a job that doesn’t feel like a job. I will continue to offer fresh and modern training and to connect with each unique person that comes to work here.
Join Us
When thinking about working here at AIM and directly supporting people, I like to share that we are an organization where everyone knows everyone, and that there is no hierarchy. We are all here with a shared goal and bring our unique expertise to ensure the best possible outcomes for the people we support. At work, there are no two days that are the same. It always feels new and different. It will keep you on your toes, but you will stay engaged and ready for anything. I also want to challenge the idea that this is a hard job. Sure, there are tough days, But, if you’re making a difference in someone’s life, you’re doing a great job.
You work with a leadership team that bends over backwards to focus on the people we support, while also making sure the staff are ok and getting what they need. A happy workforce means the people served are getting the best support. I want incoming and prospective staff to keep an open mind. Don’t make assumptions about people and their diverse challenges or needs. Meet people and make your own decisions about what it is like to support them and work here. The rewards and successes of others far outweigh any hardship you may encounter in your job. The role of a Direct Support Professional wasn’t always viewed as a career, but rather a steppingstone, Now, what better of a career can you imagine than to influence others and support their lives?
Thank You, Rickke
Rickke Mabie has been a steady and incredible part of AIM Services for over 30 years. His contributions to the lives of the people he serves are immeasurable. AIM’s CEO, Chris Lyons, shares his sentiments on what Rickke means to AIM and the people we serve:
I have enjoyed the privilege of working alongside Rickke for a total of 20 years. No one is more dedicated to supporting others than Rickke. His experience and life story have been informed by the thoughtful heart and dedication he brings to everything he does. He is a great teacher, mentor, support, and friend. AIM would not be AIM without Rickke Mabie. Everyone working here is better because of him. He shuns the spotlight; however, it is great to recognize Rickke and the difference he has made!