In direct care, support often transitions into friendship. For Direct Care Worker Dallas Reim and Mike Hitchcock, this happened quickly, yet quite naturally.
“They kind of almost become like a part of your family,” Mike shared, reflecting on nearly two decades of receiving support and services and forming meaningful connections with direct care workers.
Spending long hours together naturally strengthens these bonds, with Dallas sometimes working 12-hour shifts, which means he often spends more time with Mike than with his own family.
“We will talk about kind of anything and everything,” Dallas said. “I kind of look at him as just like an older brother at this point.”
For Dallas, the journey into direct care began when he was searching for something more fulfilling than his previous job as a server. “I was looking for something different, I kind of wanted to do something more meaningful,” Dallas said. “I saw there was a direct support professional role opening up and applied to it, not wholeheartedly knowing what I was getting myself into.”
At first, the role felt overwhelming, but soon it became second nature to Dallas. He also picked up a variety of new skills while working with Hitchcock, including cooking.
“Mike has essentially taught me how to cook,” Dallas admitted. “Beforehand, I was a little worried because I probably could burn water.”
Beyond instrumental activities of daily living, Mike has introduced Dallas to new activities, including shuffleboard and curling. Initially unfamiliar with the sport, Dallas was unsure of what to expect. However, after trying it for the first time, he quickly found it to be a fun challenge.
“If I had to describe curling in three words, I’d say: challenging, fun, and unique,” Dallas said. “It definitely got me out of my comfort zone.”
Mike’s connection with his caregivers extends outside of work as well. He has attended weddings of former support workers and maintains relationships with many of them.
“One time, one of the people that worked with me was relatively new to the area, so my parents invited them over for Thanksgiving because they had nowhere else to go,” Mike said.
Reflecting on his journey in the direct care workforce, Dallas hopes more people recognize the importance of the field and the significance of this work in the lives of those they support.
“If you’re considering this career, it is incredibly rewarding,” Dallas said. “You can’t beat the feeling of making an impact on someone’s life.”
According to PHI National, there are 8.2 million direct care job openings projected nationally by the year 2028. Both Mike and Dallas emphasize the need for better wages and recognition for direct care workers to aid this critical shortage and with recruitment into the profession.
“It’s a national problem to find direct care workers because so many people don’t even know this job exists,” Mike said. “Please recognize that we need the help. Everyone will eventually reach a point where they need support—it could be you, your grandparent, your spouse, or your child. I wouldn’t be able to do half the things I do without it.”
A robust direct care workforce ensures countless individuals and families will have their needs met, allowing them to live independent and fulfilling lives.
“Some people just have different needs,”’ Dallas said. “Everyone deserves a good quality of life; it should be a universal right.”
