Amaris Elliott-Engel / The Citizen

AUBURN - Six months into her job caring for adult consumers with multiple diagnoses of severe to profound mental retardation, autism, epilepsy and other conditions, Jenn St. Mire-Zammett knew she had found her calling.

“I may only be 30 years old, but I'm a lifer here,” St. Mire-Zammett says.

St. Mire-Zammett, of Auburn, has an intense job as the day habilitation coordinator for a program at the nonprofit Seneca-Cayuga ARC. St. Mire-Zammett's program helps its high-needs consumers work on productive outcomes for a number of skill sets. All the participants either live with relatives or are in a certified house providing 24/7 care.

Part of her commitment to spend the rest of her life in this field is the desire to provide continuity with the consumers.

There's an unfortunate level of turnover in the field, St. Mire-Zammett said, because of the low pay at a nonprofit agency, because of employees leaving to further their education and because some employees find they can't handle the intensive needs of the consumers

Even with all those challenges, she would rather take a second job than change her current job. She can't stop smiling when describing her work.

“I want to be that one person they can rely on,” St. Mire-Zammett said.

She began working at the agency, then called the Comprehensive Technology Center, nine and a half years ago after giving up her dream of singing on Broadway because of a bout with thyroid cancer. It was happenstance that led the then-20 year-old into her life's work; a relative knew she was looking for a job and knew there was an opening.

She was promoted four years ago to a supervisory position with four staff members who care for nine consumers. A 10th consumer will join in June.

It is not a job for everyone, St. Mire-Zammett said. Even with that ratio of one caregiver to every two consumers, the day hab has a fast pace. She loves the quick decision-making and problem-solving required to figure out how to meet the needs of her consumers. She maintains her composure when a consumer - with different communication abilities - hollers, pulls her hair or strikes out.

It is work that requires patience because consumers' progress with the growth of their skills can take years.

St. Myer-Zammett says that the “squat” pay for work in the health care and social assistance field is tolerable because the job provides opportunity to make a difference every single day for her consumers.

“That's why I feel I've done so well in this job,” said St. Mire-Zammett. “In my heart, I want to know I've done everything possible to help consumers have the best day possible.”