Each of our Hammer & NER homes is unique because of the people who live and work there. The “Showcasing Our Homes” profiles celebrate our homes (and apartment programs), the people who live there, and the staff who support them. Let’s learn about the Unity home in Golden Valley!

Olivia, Sedinu, and Philes

The Unity home is led by Program Manager Sedinu Nagbe. Sedinu has worked at Hammer & NER for 19 years, starting at our McGlinch home after her 21st birthday! “I was just looking for a job, I didn’t intend to stay this long,” she says with a laugh. What keeps her here? “When you start to work with people, you become so close and know they’re depending on you,” Sedinu says. “I went from DSP to APM. Then I did the PMIT (Program Manager In Training). I came to Unity in 2017 as the Program Manager.” 

Let’s meet the other staff at Unity:

Olivia (Lead DSP) has been at Unity for two years. “She does great at getting the ladies to the grocery store and creating their shopping lists,” Sedinu says. “They sit at the table and make a list and then Olivia checks our inventory.” Olivia takes two people one week and out for coffee and then takes the other two the following week. “The rotation has become a routine for them,” Sedinu adds. Olivia also takes everyone bowling and to the zoo as well as Hammer & NER activities like bingo and karaoke. The ladies enjoy doing karaoke at home too! They value being able to decide what they would like to do.

Catherine

Catherine started her Hammer & NER career at our Carlson home. She has been at Unity for two years. “Catherine is great at working one on one with the ladies,” Sedinu says. “And she loves to clean!” Catherine makes sure the home is always well stocked. “She sees things others don’t,” Sedinu says. “We call her the house mom.” Unity typically has just one staff per shift. “We have a chore bowl of what needs to be done each day,” Sedinu says. “The ladies like to help prepare meals. They may wash vegetables or help with other tasks in the kitchen while someone else sets the table.

Winifred

Winifred has worked at Unity for a year. “Winifred is known as the ‘med lady’” Sedinu says. “She pays great attention to detail. The ladies love her. She is calm and always speaks to them in a respectful manner. Winifred takes the ladies to the park or to the mall to walk. They also enjoy playing games together.”

Philes is brand new! When we visited Unity, it was first day. “She is a bit shy and quiet, but is asking a lot of questions,” says Sedinu. “She is getting to know the ladies and is learning the routines. We are glad to have her here.”

Now, let’s meet the ladies of Unity:

Lucy

Lucy has been with Hammer & NER for two years. “Lucy is friendly and gets along well with her housemates and staff,” says Sedinu. “She loves to ask staff about their day and family.” Lucy loves to bake cookies, and she loves to sing. Her favorite artist is Celine Dion. “Lucy loves to watch movies and stays active at home and out in the community,” Sedinu says. “She participates in Special Olympics and enjoys spending time with family and friends.”

Ann

Ann has lived at Hammer & NER for 15 years and moved to Unity in 2022. “Ann is very helpful, a hard worker, a quick learner, and friendly,” Sedinu says. “She likes to introduce herself and her staff when she meets new people.” Ann loves country music, and her favorite artist is LeAnn Rimes. She likes to play board games and cards. She also likes playing basketball and going for a walk at parks or malls or around the neighborhood.

Pam

Pam has been with Hammer & NER for 11 years and moved to Unity in 2021. “Pam is friendly, very nice, and often quiet,” Sedinu says. “She is very helpful and hard-working around the house.” Pam loves to sing and likes the boyband NSYNC as well as Britney Spears. She also loves to watch movies and organize her bedroom once a week. 

What drew you to this work?

Sedinu

SEDINU: My dad is 84 years old. I have learned so much from him and I know how to be there for people, how to care for them. We all learn from experiences that we can bring from our personal lives to our work. I get so much here. People are eager to see you walk through the door. Knowing there are people looking forward to seeing you and being part of their day-to-day lives makes you feel good. Over the years, I’ve had great coworkers, especially during COVID-19. We worked together to keep the ladies safe, and no one got sick.

Hammer & NER has been great to me. My sister was in a car accident in 2007 and became quadriplegic. I didn’t have PTO, but the managers helped me. They made sure I had time off to care for her.

What makes this program special?

SEDINU: It’s the ladies. They like to sit and talk with staff and spend time together. They love doing karaoke! Each day they look on the board in the kitchen to see who’s doing what (chores). They know what day they each get to help cook. They like helping with tasks around their home.