Staff Spotlight: Santos Arroyo, Day Hab

What is your position, and how long have you been here?

I’ve been working here for about four or five months as a [direct support professional]. I work hands-on with the program participants here on a daily basis. Coming to Day Hab can be a very intimidating task to someone from the outside because these are individuals who obviously require special care, but they also require love. You have to be very compassionate about what you do, especially in this field. There are days that are tougher than others, but overall, knowing that I made a difference in someone’s day-to-day life outshines all of those obstacles. 

How did you get into this field?

I have a friend that works here. His name is Domanique, and he referred me here.

Did you always know that you wanted to work with vulnerable communities?

Yeah, I mean, since I was little, I’ve always been big on helping people, especially the people who are less able-bodied, like elderly people. I started with older people. I would always go around my neighborhood and ask the older people if they needed anything, make sure they were good. I also have family members who are individuals with disabilities. So, you know, I care for them with all of my heart. When this role was announced, it just made sense. I was like, “Sign me up. This is perfect for me.” I get to help make a difference. It brings me a sense of fulfillment knowing that I’m doing something great for the community.

What does your day to day look like here? 

We come in at 8:30 and make sure [members] sign in. Everybody puts their stuff down. They get nice and comfortable. Then we’ll start our morning workout, and then we’ll do various trainings, such as independent living skills, money management. We’ll show them how to budget their money. We’ll also do things like safety, travel safety, kitchen safety–things showing them different hazards, how to properly use a crosswalk, stuff like that.

How many members does the program have?

On a full day, we have about 35 people. 

And has it been mostly the same group of people since you started here?

Yeah, it’s been the same individuals since I got here. I’ve only seen one new person come for an orientation, but I don’t know how long that process is. There’s five leaders right now, and so the entire class is split up, and we get assigned our own group. I have about nine people in my group. Working with them one-on-one, reading their goals, and helping them achieve those goals–seeing them progress in that way–is a beautiful thing. It’s hard to describe, but knowing that I had a hand in that and knowing that they’re becoming better versions of themselves and seeing it in real time–it’s just beautiful. 

How do you like being part of the staff here? 

Oh, it’s great here. We have a good 10 to 13 people here. It’s not a super big program, but it definitely puts us in a position to be more team-oriented. We’ve always got each other’s backs, like, if someone is out, we’ll pick up their work just to make sure that everything is running smoothly on a daily basis. 

Are there any difficult parts of the job or things that you’ve struggled with since you’ve been here?

The biggest obstacle for me is how socially draining the job can be. It’s not a physically demanding job by any means, but it can be a lot on the mental side. Personally, I don’t have the largest social battery. I’m not like that. To constantly be having to address 30 people can kind of burn me out, but it still feels worth it at the end of the day. Right when I hit that spot where I’m like, “Oh man, I can’t do this,” I just think, “Yeah, but what is the outcome of me doing what I’m doing?” Instantly, that gratification just washes all of that away.