Kayla Powell and Ryan walk through the swinging doors of Central Market York multiple times each week.
They stop at J.R.’s Fresh Cut French Fries to order a sausage and a lemonade, then make their way to Russy’s Sweet Treats, where Ryan gets a milkshake. Along the way, vendors call out hello. Friends offer elbow bumps and hugs.
None of this was possible for Ryan until Kayla, a Direct Support Professional with Typical Life Corporation, came along.
Building confidence through connection
When Kayla began working one on one with Ryan, busy public spaces could feel overwhelming to him. Stores, crowds, noise, and unfamiliar faces were barriers to him leaving his TLC residence.
“He didn’t want to really talk,” Kayla says. “He didn’t really want to say much.”
Little by little, that began to change. Kayla started with short trips into stores, helping Ryan become comfortable for a few minutes at a time before building on each experience. Through patience and consistency, Kayla helped expand Ryan’s routines, which have grown into a fuller life in the community.
“Now when we go into the store, he takes the cart and is on his way,” Kayla says. “We’re always out and about now, sunup to sundown.”
Big and small connections
Danielle “Dani” Ford, Residential Manager for TLC’s North Region, says that Kayla and Ryan demonstrate what meaningful support for the individuals TLC serves can look like. Watching them together has been like seeing a big sister with a little brother, Dani says.
“They just pick on each other, they make each other laugh, but they have such a good connection,” she says.
That connection shows up in big and small ways. Kayla makes sure Ryan is dressed well when they go out. She helps him stay in the conversation when people are speaking to him. She stays close enough that he knows she is there while encouraging him to do more for himself.
For Kayla, one of the most rewarding aspects of working with Ryan has been seeing his confidence and personality emerge.
“He’s vocal now,” she says. “I like working with him to see the change and everything that he does. He’s funny. He’s a character.”
‘This is family’
Kayla’s level of attention is something Dani would love to see in every Direct Support Professional who works for TLC. Growth in the individuals whom TLC serves often comes from understanding what makes them comfortable and helping them try again when something seems difficult.
“You learn their routine and you do things in order to amplify their strengths and to work on their weaknesses and to maybe turn those into strengths,” Dani says. “I think Kayla does a fantastic job of that.”
Kayla’s approach extends beyond her interaction with Ryan. Whether she’s working with another individual or fellow TLC staff members, Kayla shows up with a smile, supports her co-workers, and makes sure individuals are included, even during holidays when they might not be able to be with their families.
She has brought individuals along to her family gatherings, cookouts, birthday parties, and holiday celebrations. For Kayla, that is part of helping people experience the ordinary but meaningful moments that make life feel purposeful.
“This isn’t a job for her,” Dani says. “This is family, and she loves it.”