Service Spotlight: Aderonke Kareem

14 Apr Service Spotlight: Aderonke Kareem

This month, we’re recognizing Supported Living DSP, Aderonke Kareem! We were proud to nominate Aderonke for a scholarship from INARF in December, and while she didn’t win the prize, we want to recognize her hard work and commitment!

Before becoming a DSP, Aderonke Kareem was working as a CNA in a nursing home. When she came to New Hope, she was seeking a position that would offer more one-on-one care in a longer-term setting. Along with her full-time job at New Hope, she is also a single mom and a full-time student studying to be an Early Childhood Education teacher.

Today, after working in the same home with the same individuals for a couple of years, she has learned to anticipate every need for every client. She has become known as the “house mom”. Aderonke goes out of her way to find a solution to every issue or complaint the clients may have. She has a positive way of redirecting and motivating them when they struggle with meeting their goals or have a bad day. She offers them the emotional and physical support that they need while finding fun and interesting ways to make sure they remain as independent as possible.

Her dedication to those served is remarkable. Recently, one of the individuals Aderonke serves lost his mother. He was struggling with grief and feeling overwhelmingly lonely. Aderonke offered to come in on her day off to sit and hold his hand, simply to keep him company. When he asked her to pray for his mother with him, she did. She consoled the client for hours until he was able to sleep. Aderonke also volunteered to help take a large group of clients to Indiana Beach for a day of fun, and she often takes one individual to visit family when they are unable to come for a visit themselves.

In between her service to the individuals we serve and her work as a full-time student, Aderonke takes every opportunity she can to learn more. She truly values learning and often asks her supervisor for additional training opportunities. This combined with her training as a CNA have given Aderonke an invaluable sense of intuition when working with her clients. She has become the home’s unofficial trainer, often passing on what she’s learning to the other DSPs that work in the home.

Aderonke exemplifies New Hope’s Core Values of dedication, integrity, wisdom, reverence, creativity and service, and we are proud that she is a part of our team.