Media Award
in NADSA Awards
This award honors an individual or organization responsible for a print or electronic media product of a distinguished nature that advances the goals of NADSA and is deserving of national recognition.
Amanda H. Justus
Adult Life Programs, Inc., Hickory, NC
| Amanda H. Justus |
As those of us who are involved in adult day services know well, adult day is often underappreciated and undervalued, especially in legislative circles. It seems that for those who are not familiar with adult day services, there is not much appeal or glamour.
Amanda Justus was determined to tell the story of adult day services in a way to change that. She wanted to appeal to the hearts of the funders and the legislators by telling a poignant story that everybody could relate to. She knew she also had to appeal to the minds of the funders and the legislators by convincing them of the tremendous value of adult day services.
As her final project for her Master's degree in Gerontology, Amanda set out to make a video to do just that. She presented her proposal to her Graduate Committee and quickly found that academia was less than thrilled with a project as "touchy-feely" as "storytelling." Amanda was determined. After some discussion and convincing, her Graduate Committee approved her proposal, but stated that they were "stepping out on a limb on this one."
In the months following, Amanda enrolled in a four-week storytelling class where she learned how to write stories that would captivate the audience. She then chose two participants who utilize adult day services at Adult Life Programs, Inc. in North Carolina. She chose participants whose personal stories best represent what adult day services are and what it provides. Amanda spent time with the participants and caregivers in their homes so she could write the best story possible. She enlisted the help of a local photographer and videographer to help her with taking pictures, video and audio recording for the project. After months of writing, editing and re-editing, a finished storytelling project was born that told the stories of two individuals whose lives have been positively impacted through adult day services.
Amanda sent her final project to her Graduate Committee and was thrilled when her Committee chair responded with a "WOW…It is so powerful!" The once less-than-thrilled Committee gave outstanding reviews as they witnessed how a story can be used to make an emotional connection with your audience and gives the opportunity to present data and evidence in a new way. Amanda was successful at utilizing the concept of storytelling to introduce her passion for adult day services. Ironically, talks of budget cuts to adult day services in North Carolina surmounted. Amanda made personal contacts with her legislators and policy makers and handed them her storytelling video hoping to make an impact on their budget decisions that would affect adult day services. She even received a personal letter from North Carolina's Governor, Beverly Perdue, thanking her for sending it to her. The storytelling video has also been well received by the local community as Amanda has used it for funding request and general presentations.
Amanda's story is a story of love; the incredible love of a caregiver and family who with the assistance of adult day services manage to keep their family close. It is the poignant story of adult day services that needs to be told. Click here to watch the video.
—Jane Rollins