HR Newsletters 2021

Continued— A Year of Challenges: Change Brings Positive

Outcomes, Too

Dr. Krystal Thurman

I have noticed my stress level is down and my overall happiness is high. That feeling is in part to the proactive nature at which our agency responds to change and managing its processes to meet the demands brought on by said changes. Working from home in the earlier months of the pandemic were challenging, especially for those who are caregivers. Schools suddenly went virtual and parents of school-aged children became teachers, Google Classroom aficionados, and common-core experts. Those who have loved ones who received therapy proba- bly found themselves in a situation of receiving tele-health sessions. Despite my son receiving ten hours of ABA therapy each week, I had never received much training as a parent. The pandemic shifted all of that. Suddenly, therapy appointments became parent training and coaching sessions. I was given homework and had to create videos. It was added work to my existing full-plate. I felt like I was back in graduate school and being bombarded with new theories and practices. The positive point from all of this is the amount of time I was able to spend learning with and from my child, his teachers, and his therapists. Seeing his completed school work and school reports prior to the pandemic kept me informed, but working with him each day as his teacher gave me more insight into the challenges and triumphs he faced. It provided clarity about anxiety triggers and allowed me to see how to best support his needs. The change led to more quality time with my son and an enriched understanding of how to support him academically and emotionally. Although it was difficult at times, they were moments I will treasure. In the middle of the pandemic, I found myself in an urgent care center receiving stitches. How is this significant you ask? For a couple reasons. First, I was forced to wear flat shoes for weeks. Anyone who knows me at all understands that I love to wear high heels. I realized at that point that I can wear flat shoes and it actually helps my back. It doesn’t mean I’m going to stop wearing heels; however, it has encour- aged me to alternate my footwear. Luckily, working from home twice a week allows me to do just that. Sec- ond, and on a serious note, despite the pandemic and a national holiday, I was able to receive quality care, which quite literally saved the nerves in my foot. It was a scary situation made scarier due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, I’m so thankful for the nurses and doctors who continued to provide quality healthcare with- out fail. The healthcare community responded to the changes of the pandemic and did so in a way that in- stilled confidence in me as a consumer. Be sure to thank a healthcare worker the next time you see them! The sudden news of my son’s school closure just before the Thanksgiving holiday was a shock. Twen- ty families of children with autism, myself included, were left scrambling to get our children admitted new schools as soon as possible to avoid disruption in services. Switching schools is rarely easy for children. It is especially precarious for a child with transition challenges. It was frightening for us. We feared switching to a new school district and worried my son would be shunned by teachers, students, and administration due to his challenging behaviors. As it turns out, the move has been wonderful for him and our family. He is happy and thriving! This was one of the most daunting changes for us as a family. As such, we came to the new school extremely prepared and with a game plan in place. Our change management plan, if you will, sup- ported our needs and those of the school by allowing us to identify potential roadblocks and determine solu- tions. We were proactive rather than reactive. Planning for the change proved effective.

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