Decades of ‘Living Well’

At the 3800 block of West Broadway in Robbinsdale, two apartment buildings share a courtyard. Inside there are people who have been working for the same group home — Living Well Disabilities Services — for many years.

About 55 of the 500 employees have been working there for over two decades. The Sun Post spoke to seasoned employees in Robbinsdale about why they’ve stuck around for so long.

Rita McAninch-Hastings has been at Living Well for 43 years. During that time she’s worked in 28 different houses. The one in Robbinsdale where she’s posted now is her favorite.

“I really enjoy the people that live here and the opportunities that they can have at being part of a community,” McAninch-Hastings said.

All of the residents have applied and been determined disabled by the Social Security Administration. From there they applied for medical assistance and were connected to a home through a county worker. Medical assistance pays for housing, food and healthcare. Donations are used for other miscellaneous things like snacks and trips. Some people earn money from their jobs, too, However, there are income limits for people with disabilities. For 2024, SSA does not give benefits to non-blind disabled individuals who make more than $1550 per month. Blind individuals can receive benefits while making as much as $2590.

Each Living Well house is a little different, but all have 24-hour-a-day staffing. In some houses, residents need a lot of physical help. For others, communication is a big challenge. For the two houses on the 3800 Block of West Broadway, the residents need skill-building support. Many have jobs and are familiar faces in the neighborhood.

“They will walk into a restaurant and they know the people by their first name,and they have built a relationship with those people” McAninch-Hastings said. “And that was always the dream, that people would be able to fully access and be involved in the community in which they lived. And it would be our job as staff to support that skill-buildings.”

A huge part of supporting these adults with disabilities is teaching. The staff works with residents to develop things like hygiene, cleaning and cooking skills.

McAninch-Hastings said, “We’ll have a conversation like ‘Well, what do you want to learn how to make?’ ‘Well, this is what I want to learn how to make.’ So we will set up a recipe. And sometimes that recipe comes with pictures of the ingredients so that they will learn from that how to measure things out, how to cook them, how to prepare a meal, and that the meal is going to be a balanced meal...we are giving the people that we serve the abilities and the skills so that they can live as independently as possible within the community in which they live.”

McAninch-Hastings has seen enormous changes in the many decades of serving people with disabilities. Before Living Well, she worked for the state.

“They’ve certainly had to go through all sorts of obstacles ...t o be seen as contributing to society rather than be a drag on society,” McAninch-Hastings said. “And I think that we went from when I started in this field and was trained at Cambridge State Hospital when you would see 50 people on a ward sitting around with two staff and no interaction and no dreaming. It was more of a survival-type thing. And then seeing what people have gone through- — at that time it was ‘let’s put people away where we don’t see them.’ And then we had the rebound of ‘let’s take care of people to the point where they’re smothered.’ And now what we’re seeing is that people are being seen as people, as human beings that are equal to other human beings.”

Cindi Sharp has been with the organization for 41 years. Her parents worked in the field before she did.

“This job is very challenging but I stay because of the people and I also am particularly drawn to this particular building because of the realization of dreams that we can do here with people living in this community,” Sharp said.

Sharp said although there are some staffing issues at times, the company has always focused on “the dream part.”

Denise Staton has been at Living Well for 32 years.

“I like being here, I really do,” Staton said. “I will probably be here until they take me out in a pine box.”

Heidi Casey has been there for 25 years. Casey said she first meant to apply to work with senior citizens, but she later realized she loved working the people with disabilities.

Casey said working with the same people for decades makes people really know and understand each other.

“We’re all growing old together, we’re living the same life,” Casey said. “We’ve kinda enmeshed. We’re not each other’s family but we’re here. We have our own type of family.”

Staton added that she and Casey both raised children while working at the group home.

Teewon Dolopei has put in 10 years so far. He loves “making an impact” on residents, who are vulnerable adults.

“What else can we do?” Dolopei asked. “We’re living this life to contribute what we can to society. So I see this as a golden opportunity to give what we can give.”

Living Well Board Member Fran McCloskey, whose sister with Down syndrome lives in one of the Robbinsdale homes, had nice things to say about the staff.

McCloskey said she really values safety for her sister. Celebrating Whiz Bang Days with the rest of the city, visiting the fire station during an open house and being able to walk to downtown all help residents get to know and be known by their neighbors.

“Being known is an important part of feeling safe in a community,” McCloskey said.

McAninch-Hastings is in her 70s, and has considered retiring but does not think she will.

“It’s been a tough journey but every time I think about retiring and walking away from this job, I just get drawn back in,” McAninch-Hastings said.

If people want to get involved with Living Well, there are opportunities for volunteers, donors and a big gala in September. Learn more at livingwell.org.

There are 37 locations in the state including Apple Valley, Big Lake, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Buffalo, Burnsville, Cambridge, Crystal, Eagan, Edina, Golden Valley, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Little Canada, Long Lake, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Mendota Heights, Plymouth, Robbinsdale, South Saint Paul and West Saint Paul.