Empathy of a Case Manager

As I read the real-life stories about organizations working to end homelessness, I began to feel an overwhelming sense of compassion for case managers who spend their careers meeting hundreds of people facing hardships. One particular story gave an update on a young woman who had been helped by an Interfaith Hospitality Network agency. The story stood out to me because it highlighted her case manager’s emotions.

Similar to stories about other causes, the success stories about formerly homeless people all provide a sense of relief that there are happy endings. However, the case managers who help make these happy endings possible are usually absent from articles, interviews and blog sites. Because case managers’ perspectives typically go unwritten, one can only guess at the feelings they experience throughout their work lives.

This story made me think more about a case manager’s world.  This case manager had worked with dozens of families going in and out of shelter.  Over the years, she had built relationships with many whom she would never see again after their tenure at the shelter. Some would contact her for help with a problem. Others would return just to express their thanks.

The young lady profiled in the article had arrived at the shelter when she was 16.  The case manager worked with her family, helped them secure a stable home and watched the teen develop into a beautiful and, most importantly, strong young woman. When she went to college more than 3,000 miles away, the case manager felt just as proud as if it was her own daughter.

After reading this success story, I imagined all the bittersweet moments a case manager experiences. You feel both joy and emptiness when ‘your families’ move on with their lives. You feel fear that they will flounder without your guidance or that their future holds more hardships. Like many others, this case manager watched a homeless young person blossom and contributed in unspoken ways to her success in life. I realized though case managers never ask for praise or reward, in a sense, they gain something that most people will never understand.