OUR HUMBLE HEROES

No Audio: The Oklahoma Department of Human Services and Aging Services Division logos.

(music plays)

Narrator: Around here, heroes are easy to find.

(map squeaking) 
No Audio: Map of Oklahoma falls slowly into the frame.

In every corner of this beautiful state, on any given morning, if you look you'll find leagues of heroes rolling across the countryside and through the cities to perform acts of heroism for the citizens of our beloved Oklahoma.

Here's one of Oklahoma's most heroic: Ann.  Ann has been performing heroic deeds for over seven years now.  Traveling to houses in her area, helping the great people of Oklahoma.  Let's see where Ann is going today. Ah, this is the spot: The Middleton Household in Anytown, Oklahoma. 

That's Mrs. Maria Middleton. She lives about 25 miles from Ann's house.  Mrs. Middleton has reached a time in her life when it is not as easy to do all the things she once did.  Taking care of herself is a little more difficult than
it used to be. A few months ago, Maria's daughters got together and started asking her if she might be ready to move into a nursing home. GRRRR!!!!

This idea did not sit well with Mrs. Maria Middleton.  She has lived in this house since before her daughters were even born.  Mrs. Middleton knows she will be better off in the long run if she can stay in her own home.  Statistics show that Mrs. Middleton is right.  She will be happier if she stays in her own home.  And healthier, too.

Her daughters all work in the city and can't be with their mother all the time.
It was clear they needed help.  They needed a hero.  A super hero!  That's Ann's cue.

Ann is a Personal Care Assistantù A true American hero.  She works for a company that offers care to citizens who need help caring for themselves.  Each day, Ann loads up in her super-charged, yet economical, hero-mobile and heads out to offer assistance to lots of people just like Maria Middleton who aren't able to do some things for themselves.

Ann comes by to work with Mrs. Middleton three days each week.  And Mrs. Middleton loves Ann.  But why is that Maria?  When Ann visits she helps with household tasks such as laundry and light cleaning.  Things Maria is no longer able to do for herself.  Most importantly, Ann keeps tabs on Maria's health by making observations of any changes in demeanor, hygiene and other outward signs of ill-health.  The state-contracted company Ann works for has medical staff review the records of Ann's visits with Mrs. Middleton. This way, there is a team approach her care.

This is one of those win-win situations.  In fact, let's take a look at our winners now.  First, there's Mrs. Middleton, who has peace of mind knowing that Ann, someone she trusts, is helping her watch her health and doing things that need doing while her daughters are at work.  And Mrs. Middleton gets to stay in her own home.  

Mrs. Middleton's daughters are also winners.  They head off on their morning commutes knowing that their mother will be well tended in their absence.  Plus they have still have Mom right there in the neighborhood.  But maybe the biggest winner is our hero Ann.

She gets to do something she really loves: help people.  Yes, Ann is a hero many times over. Besides Maria Middleton, Ann takes care of quite a few others.  Her days are busy. There's Mr. Lawerence Leedingston, who needs extra help because he uses a wheelchair and has to be monitored medically and for safety.  And Ms. Clara Cleversteen, who was Ann's 5th grade teacher.  Ann helps her with household chores and organizing her home.  All in all, Ann visits about four seniors each day, five days each week.  It's a heavy caseload and Ann enjoys all of it.

Yes, Ann is a hero.  She serves each of her clients, which in turn serves the whole community and all the taxpayers in the state of Oklahoma.  You see, putting someone in a nursing home on Medicaid costs taxpayers about three times more than if Medicaid serves that person at home instead.  It adds up to millions of dollars.

I think we can all agree that makes Ann a hero.  So what do we give heroes for their time and effort?  About $7.50 an hour.  With no mileage. 

(sad horn)

And there are hundreds of other heroes just like Ann all over Oklahoma.  Seventy percent of Personal Care Assistants do not receive health insurance.  But still they grow in numbers, meeting the need.  By the year 2016 there will be over four million Personal Care Assistants in the United States.  That'll mean there will be more Personal Care Assistants in our country than fast food workers.  It will be more than people who work in sales or are Registered Nurses.  That is one big work force!

Personal Care Assistants head out each day in their own cars spreading sunshine and good deeds across the land.  Their help is invaluable -- priceless even.  But even with priceless care and the reward of a job well-done, shouldn't these heroes be able to make a living wage?  We sure think so.

(music plays)

No Audio: "This is just one story.  Your story is just as important.  Be sure EVERYONE knows your story."

Oklahoma State Aging Director, OKDHS - Lance Robertson

Program Administrator, HCBS, OKDHS - Tom Dunning

Director and HCBS Program Supervisor - Kelli Davidson

Producer - Darren Dunn

OU SATTRN Project Coordinator - Tori Collier

Editor - Ray Leyva

Narrator - Alan Novey

Make-up Artist - Shannon Casey

 

Actors:

Ann - Jacquelyn Browne, Country Style Home Health Care

Mrs. Maria Middleton - Judith Mowery

Mr. Leedingston - N. Lee Dunn

Mrs. Cleversteen - Kay Anthony

Daughter #1 - Andrali Jewett

Daughter #2 - Jennifer Case

Daughter #3 - Tana Parrott

Nurse - Terry Perkins

Salesman - James Freeman

Fast Food Worker - Holli Hagan

Client - Jeanetta Smith

Client - Peggy Palmore

Client - Ruth Daniels

Client - Mary Jane Adkins

Client - Cynthia Busby

Client - Alma Wheeler

Client - Virginia Pack

Client - Doris Robertson

Client - Cheryl Chesnut

Client - Frances Waltman

Client - Jackie Price

Client - Lenore Joan Seadorf

Client - Barbara Cory

Client - Joseph Rameriz