Caregiver Spotlight: Ken Kundert - Honored for Community Work
Ken is among the most kind and compassionate people I have ever known; he puts the needs of others before himself in every situation. Beyond his professional caregiving duties with Right at Home, Ken has also worked for the Tucson Residence Foundation for the past several years. In this role, Ken cared for a man named Charles, who had severe developmental disabilities. Charles lived with Ken and received daily life coaching and support from Ken.
Ken has been a positive force in the life of each client he has worked with over the past two and one-half years, and has been of special value in caring for several of our Military Veterans. These men have embraced Ken as their caregiver as he has demonstrated respect for them and ensured their personal dignity while providing substantial hands-on personal care. Ken has also served several clients on hospice care, providing additional care to the individuals and compassionate support to family members. Ken also has a gift for working with people afflicted with dementia, seeming to naturally understand their situation and be able to provide individualized care that meets their important needs. We have received numerous calls about Ken's commitment and focus on serving in the specific ways they have needed. Many of our clients refuse to have anyone but Ken if he is not available when they call to schedule additional shifts or make changes to the schedule, and ultimately decide to make a schedule work that allows Ken to be the caregiver.
Ken, himself a former Special Olympics competitor several times over and now trains other athletes to compete and serves as an "Athlete for Outreach," speaking at public events, meeting with leaders of organizations, and fundraising. Ken also volunteers through Civitan to support research to develop a cure for neurological disabilities, such as the seizure and learning disorders he himself has dealt with his entire life.
Ken participates in every Right at Home event. Whether a mandatory training, or a fun day at the park for caregivers and their families. He has referred numerous potential caregivers and clients, and is always talking to others about the work he does and the impact it has on other people.
Ken is the embodiment of RightCare! He loves his work, and strives for excellence on a daily basis. He constantly communicates with the office concerning client updates, his schedule, and company policies and procedures. Ken wears his Right at Home uniform an name tag with pride every day. He is the first to comply with procedural requests and new or modified company policies. We get to see Ken several times each week when he stops by to say hello, provide and update, respond in person to an email he received, or to bring a small item to express his gratitude for the work of office team members.
The only time I remember Ken calling off for a shift was about a year and a half ago. He called to say that he was having a heart attack and was about to leave for the emergency room, but wanted to let us know first so that his client would not go without receiving care that day. This is the spirit of "others first" Ken demonstrates in everything he does.
Ken is the first to complete any required training, and report back that he has done so. He also has sought out additional 1:1 training from our RightCare manager and RN specific to particular clients so he can better meet their needs. Ken also seeks out additional training through the Tucson Residence Foundation, Blake Foundation, and Special Olympics to ensure his skills and approach to caring for others are up to date. Ken always receives constructive feedback and direction pleasantly, and strives to implement new ideas immediately.
