Local Caregiver Saves Resident’s Life

By Kristy Warren

WELLSBORO, PA–Friday, January 2, 2009, started out like any normal day. Valerie Weirback, Lead Residential Support Staff at the Williams House, was asked to cover a shift at the Waln Street House for another employee. The Williams House and Waln Street House are two of Laurel Health System’s Community Living Arrangements (CLA), which provide care in a residential setting for individuals with developmental disabilities. Weirback rarely worked shifts at the Waln Street House CLA, but the shift was going normally enough. She was set to finish her shift at 6 p.m., but at 5:37 p.m., the unthinkable happened.

She realized that one of the residents was experiencing distress while eating dinner, asking immediately if the resident was choking. When she received no response, she instructed a housemate to call 911 while she performed the Heimlich maneuver. The resident lost consciousness and slid to the floor, but Weirback continued to perform abdominal thrusts until the food was dislodged and the individual was able to breathe again.

Afterward, the resident was taken by ambulance to Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room for a follow-up evaluation and chest X-ray. The ER staff commended Weirback on her quick response, and Laurel Health System’s Board of Directors honored her service at a recognition presentation on Tuesday, January 27. Sue Sticklin, Director of Community Support Services, commented on the event saying, “I believe, as we all do, that Valerie is responsible for saving a resident’s life. A thank you doesn’t even come close!”

For more information on Community Support Services, please call 1-800-LAUREL (5287), or visit the website at http://www.laurelhs.org/services/.