Arny Spahn Community Service Award 2019 Recipient

Dede Tracy, SASH Coordinator

Dede Tracy has had a positive impact on many CMC clients’ lives for many years.  Staff that have worked with her have witnessed the caring and supportive help that she has extended to the people she works with.  Dede arranges transportation to activities, visits seniors in their home and does what she can to make seniors feel welcomed and part of the community at large.

The role of the SASH Coordinator is the most frequent and consistent staff presence in the SASH hub. This presence allows the SASH Coordinator to build trusting relationships with participants, and to develop a thorough knowledge of each participant’s strengths and challenges as they pertain to living safely in his or her home. The responsibilities of the SASH Coordinator fall into three broad categories of interventions. These three kinds of interventions, provided for SASH participants in a person-centered, holistic manner, are a foundation of the SASH model. These three intervention categories are Transitional care, Self-management education and Coordinated care interventions.

Dede is not new to the helping profession, prior to her role as the SASH Coordinator in the Randolph Health Service Area, Dede worked as a Case Manager for the Central Vermont Council on Aging.  It is very evident that Dede was born to help others and this is evident by her commitment to the needs of her clients. Individuals that are served are often people that are very vulnerable and could be at risk of being overlooked or lost in the system. Dede seems to follow all of them closely and is attuned to who they are and what they need. It is truly impressive to see all that she’s done in the community to expand opportunities for socialization and connection for her clients.

Dede is a shining example of “People helping People”.  Thank you for making our community a better place.