Bertha & Friends
Every other weekend, Bertha Johnson starts her 40 hour live-in shift at Community Opportunity Center. Bertha enters Plymouth Opportunity House, and the 15 men and women who live there light up, as if a celebrity has just entered their home. The men carry in her luggage, and the women are eager to chat about the weekend plans. Bertha is greeted with hugs and smiles before she can take off her coat.
Although weekends at Plymouth Opportunity House are action packed with concerts in the park, bowling, church, and shopping, Bertha always has time to give each individual her undivided attention. For 14 years, Bertha has displayed an extraordinary ability to make the people around her feel supported and happy.
While being enormously patient and graceful, Bertha is able to step into any situation and get the job done. Her coworkers often look to Bertha for her support as she is often heard giving pep talks and advice. Her combination of experience, training, dedication and compassion has made her a role model and she brings out the best in everyone.
“Back in 1996 when I applied to work at COC I was asked to write a paragraph expressing my thoughts on how residential options and supports should be designed with/for people with developmental disabilities and wrote: I think residential supports should be designed for people with disabilities with patience, love and care. They should be treated as equals and not discriminated against because of their condition. They should have love and support from the employees. I guess I have never wavered from what I wrote all those years ago, and believe if someone wants to be a direct care worker they must enjoy people, want to teach them to be more independent and offer much love, support and choice. I have always believed that you must do what is best for your folks even if it means driving to five different churches on Sunday mornings so everyone can be where they want to worship. It is about wanting to make people happy, cooking meals they enjoy, taking them places they want to go and ensuring they are happy. I always wanted to be a nurse and this is the closest thing I could find where I could take care of people. We are a family and I miss everyone when I am not here.” Bertha Johnson
