Westborough Staff Patrick Parker Receives Award for Excellence

MAB Community Services, a leading social service agency supporting nearly 2,000 people with visual impairment, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and acquired brain injuries across Massachusetts, has announced the 11 honorees of the 2024 Maxo Joseph Excellence in Direct Care Awards, who each received $2,000, $5,000, or $10,000 awards. Patrick Parker, a program specialist at MAB’s Training and Rehabilitation Center in Westborough, received a $10,000 award. Two anonymous donors recently contributed a total of $110,000 to support the continuation of this unique awards program.

Established in 2021, the Maxo Joseph Awards recognize direct care staff in MAB’s Adult Disability Services division who go above and beyond in their commitment to the participants they support. This year, 46 award nominees reflected the life and legacy of Maxo Joseph, an exceptional caregiver and beloved colleague who served MAB for nearly 20 years and passed away in 2020.

While there are day services designed for people with intellectual disabilities, there are few to none for people with brain injuries. Located in Westborough, the MAB Training and Rehabilitation Center (MAB TRC) serves Mass Health-eligible participants from the Commonwealth’s Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and Moving Forward Program (MFP) Waivers. Patrick Parker and his coworkers offer classes and services that support independence, all under one roof. Patrick’s workshops on music, cooking, nutrition, flower arranging, and more engage participants and help them recover from brain injuries, live on their own terms, and achieve their goals.

One of Patrick’s students, who lives in a MAB community-based residence, said, “It’s the simple things. You can’t imagine how wonderful it is to go to the kitchen and make [a meal].”

The number of years that the 2024 Maxo Joseph Award winners have dedicated to MAB ranges from one to 20, with an average of more than six years. Honorees are chosen by a committee consisting of MAB staff, community supporters, and family members of the participants the nominees serve.

“It’s a pleasure to recognize and reward our hardworking direct care staff through the fourth annual Maxo Joseph Awards,” said Barbara Salisbury, CEO of MAB Community Services. “In the last few years, MAB has increasingly focused on giving participants the skills they need to become more independent. Our staff and programs are helping participants achieve goals that wouldn’t have been possible before. I’m very proud of what they are accomplishing."

The Maxo Joseph Awards help to create a culture of recognition which improves recruitment and retention. While the direct care industry experiences an annual turnover rate between 40% and 60%, MAB's turnover in direct care was less than 17% during the past year.

To learn more about the 2024 Maxo Joseph Award winners, please visit here. To support MAB’s unique program that rewards high-performing staff, please visit here. To learn more about the MAB Training and Rehabilitation Center in Westborough, please visit here.

MAB Community Services (MAB) has been creating opportunities for people with disabilities since 1903. MAB is one of the oldest social service agencies in the nation assisting people with blindness or visual impairment. Over time, MAB has grown to serve people with a wider range of disabilities. MAB’s three divisions are: the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which offers a variety of services statewide; the Ivy Street School, which serves a neurodiverse population of students, including those on the autism spectrum, with behavioral health challenges, and with brain injuries; and Adult Disability Services, which serves individuals with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries. Through each division and program, MAB’s goal is to provide the support needed for each person to actively participate in their community and to live a full and satisfying life.