Lieutenant Governor Thanks Oklahoma Personal Care Attendants

From left: Tana Parrott, Program Supervisor, OKDHS; Lance Robertson, Aging Service Division Director, OKDHS; Michelle Volpe, PCA of the year; and me.

The lieutenant governor of Oklahoma spoke about the importance of personal care attendants, PCAs told their stories on tape for an upcoming video documentary, and Michelle Volpe, Oklahoma’s Personal Care Assistant of the Year, was honored for her dedication, charity work, and heroism. It all happened on April 30 at Oklahoma’s second annual personal care conference.

This is the second year our state has sponsored the event, which was held in Norman. It’s a joint effort between the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) and Medicaid home care agencies, intended to honor the best of Oklahoma’s caregivers.

I’ve led the team that creates the event both years. We see the conference as an opportunity to show our appreciation for the PCAs’ hard work. We also hope it helps remind home care agencies how important their PCAs are in delivering high-quality care.

Personal Care Assistant of the Year

Michelle Volpe was honored in part for what she did when she found a bedridden client in a locked bedroom having set her mattress on fire with a cigarette: With no time to call the fire department, she knocked down the door and carried the woman to safety.

She was chosen from 20 nominees submitted by home care agencies across the state. All 20 nominees were recognized during the luncheon awards ceremony, receiving a gift basket and a certificate. The top seven also received cash awards, with the Volpe winning $800.

A Heartfelt Thank-You from the Lieutenant Governor

Another highlight was the address by Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, who spoke of her recent experience with caregivers who cared for her mother during the last part of her life. Askins’ mother died recently, and her comments to the PCAs were obviously sincere.

“I believe that our Lieutenant Governor’s heartfelt comments hit home with the personal care assistants,” said Lance Robertson, Oklahoma’s Director of Aging Services. “As a family member who worked with caregivers, she really let them know how important their work is in capturing the details of daily living that allowed the her to remain a daughter to her mother instead of merely another caregiver. Her gratitude was evident.”

Educational Opportunities

Approximately 160 outstanding PCAs attended the event, which provided educational opportunities to help them better serve consumers and avoid burnout.

Dr. Mac McCrory spoke about the differences in generational language patterns and how to maneuver them. Rebekah McGowan, program manager for Adult Protective Services, conducted a training titled “Mandatory Reporting: Adult Protective Services.”

The Department of Human Services sponsored a storytelling video, for which participants were interviewed about their work. Those who preferred not to be taped were given the option of filling out a written questionnaire, which nearly all of them did.

The documentary will be shown to legislators and other stakeholders as part of a push for higher wages for Oklahoma’s PCAs.

Kelli Davidson
Program Supervisor
Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Aging Services Division