Cover Story: JCDS helps older adults with IDD as they age
Pat Topolewski, 86, poses with her JCDS support staff Windy Cummings, left, and Sophie David.
By Emma Fotovich
A lot can change in 40 years. In 1984, gas was $1.27 a gallon. Popular TV shows were The Cosby Show and Miami Vice. Popular songs included Prince’s “When Doves Cry” and “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins.
Back then, Pat Topolewski, a woman with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD, was 46 when she applied for services at Johnson County Developmental Supports. Now at age 86 and retired, she’s the oldest person receiving supports from JCDS.
Johnson County Developmental Supports has been a beacon of hope and support for the local IDD population since its creation in 1972.
Since then, many changes have occurred and services evolved to assist people with IDD to experience, live and even retire as they age in Johnson County.
JCDS is the largest service provider in Johnson County, serving almost 600 people each year as part of Johnson County’s longtime commitment to serving the local vulnerable population. Services at the heart of the organization’s mission include community employment, job skill development and helping people with IDD maintain their independence.
“Pat is the type of person that takes pride in all her jobs,” said Mary Bowersox, her case manager at JCDS. “Her favorites always involved food service and helping others.”
“Oh, I remember when I worked at Panera Bread,” Pat said. “I liked that job a lot.”
Before 1984, Topolewski worked a variety of jobs and lived independently. The JCDS waitlist was new 40 years ago, but the wait was much shorter.
Today, 4,800 people wait for up to nine years for availability of services through the state’s IDD Waiver Program for Home and Community- Based Services. While she was waiting, Topolewski often visited JCDS to make connections with staff and others with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Once off the waitlist, she started receiving vocational services helping her to gain full employment. It was a positive influence on her life. The more jobs she worked, the more independent she felt.
Over the years, Topolewski was a production worker at the Gersen Company, worked at JCDS Employment Services and was employed at the Fairfield Inn as a “general cleaning person” until 2001. She then started working at Olive Garden before retiring.
As she aged, she also moved in with some other women with IDD and recipients of JCDS support. Pat maintained her independence by helping cook for her roommates. Thanksgivings are her favorite time of the year.
Christina Ricciuto, 73, was honored for her long employment.
“I cook pies, stuffing and turkey with the help of my staff,” she said with a smile.
Now a retiree, Topolewski fills her time serving her community. As an artistic person at heart, she creates projects for residents in need and helps in other ways, including making dog mats and toys for local shelters, bookmarks for local libraries and dog treats for veterinarian clinics.
Windy Cummings, a direct support professional at JCDS, assists Topolewski at finding ways of expressing her love for creativity.
“Pat just made a wreath for the holidays,” Cummings said. “We made sure to hang it up where everyone can see it.”
Many of her creations decorate her home. No matter the season, various decorations are displayed in the living room. All were handmade.
On top of making a positive impact on her community, Topolewski has also made a lot of connections with her peers. As the years take their toll on mobility, JCDS staff ensures she receives services in her home that allow her to stay connected with friends, remain creative and continue to help others. They also help her to attend favorite events to see friends.
No one is more excited to see Topolewski than 73-year-old Christina Ricciuto. They have a special connection with fond memories.
“Pat and I were roommates for 15 years,” Christina said. “We have known each other a long time.”
Ricciuto was born in 1951 in Italy – 19 years before a state statute allowed the county to provide services to residents with IDD. She and her family moved to the United States when she was 2 years old, ultimately relocating to Johnson County. At the age of 31, Christina officially started services at JCDS where staff helped her to live independently and learn skills to work. She worked a variety of jobs over the years.
When Ricciuto turned 63, she started working at the Clinical Reference Laboratory through JCDS’ employment services program. At CRL, she filed papers, filled bottles and completed various tasks. This year, she became the first person supported by JCDS to retire after 23 years of employment.
“My favorite job has to be CRL, and I was there a long time,” Christina said. “When I retired, they threw me a party. I love CRL.”
JCDS is now helping Ricciuto to transition from daily working to enjoying retirement. So far, she loves singing with her friends, volunteering at Shawnee Community Services and cooking as many times during the week as she can.
“Christina loves to cook,” said Enid Halligan, who works with JCDS retirees. “She currently loves making zucchini bread with her friends.”
David Redel, 57, is shown with Rhianna McDaniel from JCDS.
As a member of the JCDS community for 26 years, Ricciuto hopes to continue receiving services for a long time.
“I really love my (JCDS) staff members,” she explains. “They all say I am doing well, and they like supporting me.”
David Redel, 57, also found his way to Johnson County Developmental Supports through employment services. He started working at JCDS more than 30 years ago in learning job skills by working most days in the agency’s Elmore Center cafeteria in Lenexa.
“David knew your order before you even came to pick up your soda,” said JCDS employee Nancy Laflin. “It was like a server knows their regulars. David remembered it all.”
“He is an incredibly hard worker,” said Andy Green, a Senior Direct Support professional. “He helps me remember things I forget.”
Redel worked in the cafeteria as a pop machine server for 20 years. During that time, he would connect with everyone at JCDS while preparing their orders. He has a steel trap memory, so he would always make sure every person was taken care of and doing well. When the cafeteria manager was gone, they didn’t have to worry – David took care of everything. He even trained new staff how to do the tasks.
On top of food service, Redel would also clean the cafeteria, bathrooms, microwaves and more. He was constantly doing many tasks to keep the Elmore Center running smoothly.
“It was a lot smaller back then,” David said. “The rooms were in different places. The building was not as big and there were more people coming into the building every day.”
After 2020, JCDS closed the cafeteria and focused on helping people to build transferable job skills for community employment. Redel retired from cafeteria work to try something new.
“I won’t go back to working in the cafeteria,” he noted with a laugh. “It doesn’t exist anymore.”
Case management helped him identify his wants and needs. He is the type of person to get along with everyone, and he really enjoys the time he spends around his friends, staff and roommates while working.
His job now keeps him busy on the work f loor at the Elmore Center. It’s a job that he really enjoys in seeing his friends, staff and roommates every day. Redel also gets to have the flexibility in his schedule to spend time with his girlfriend at day services with the hope one day to propose to her. Stay tuned.
For more information about JCDS and its services visit JCDS.org.
Emma Fotovich is communications coordinator at Johnson County Developmental Supports.