I began working at the State Hospital in 1971 on a ward with 40 children, young adults, and older adults who were all mentally retarded, from mildly retarded to profoundly retarded. They were not abused physically, however because of lack of staff we had to group them together in one bathroom getting them dressed, try and keep track of those who would try to escape, keep the children away from the adults unless they were doing an activity, and then also tried to introduce into the outdoor world. Some of the young adults had never been off of the State Hospital grounds, nor had they ever climbed stairs, taken a van ride, or any of the things that we take for granted.
Today, none of the mentally retarded (mentally challenged, developmentally disabled, or any of the politically correct names that is being used today) live in an intensive care facility in the state of Nevada. If not at living at home, they live in smaller group settings-usually no more than five-or in Host Family Homes like ours which do not have any staff but they live with the family. The Host Family Homes are the ideal, but fewer and fewer people are willing to take on the responsibility 24/7. The pendulum has swung a long way from 1971, and this is a good thing. I've got some great stories about taking young adults and children out into the community when neither the community nor the handicap population were ready for each other. LOL But regarding that story, I am sure it will raise a lot of eyebrows and I do hope that that teacher will be shunted off to Purgatory. The population I deal with has enough problems just to fit in and be a part of our community, and to think that she will get away with mental and physical abuse because she was not verbally told that this was a warning is a bunch of crock. Unless we have a program written out and approved by the state quality assurance division, the person it involves, the legal guardian if there is one and a host family we are not allowed to discipline, and any variation from the plan requires extensive paperwork. This is how it should be, and just as we want to be treated with respect, so do our mentally handicapped population. OK, I'll get off my soapbox. Thanks for listening. Joan What you do for yourself dies with you. What you do for others, lives forever.
