WORK - November 2007

I have two income-producing activities at the moment.

Firstly, I work outside the home at a residential/teaching facility for adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. It can be difficult work, but it has its rewards - like when you see someone learn something new, or see a face light up when you walk in the room or they hear your voice. It is probably the first job I've had where I feel like I've made a substantive difference in someone's life.

The trouble comes in with the administration. I have to either suppose that they are inept and just don't see the way things are, or unfeeling and don't care. For instance, during the latter part of the summer, we had a heat wave here. They were issuing municipal warnings to stay inside if you didn't absolutely have to be out. Kids at school did not go out for recess. But we had to take our residents out of the homes from 9am to 4pm to various classes and locations on the campus ... residents with seizure diagnoses and breathing troubles. Sometimes it just seemed downright irresponsible. But the staff would get in trouble if it was not done.

The next two weeks DOJ (the Department of Justice) and OIG (Office of the Inspector General) will be 'surveying' the operations of the facility. We've been given required activities to do with the residents in the home as well: exercise, music appreciation, socialization and crafts. We've been given a specific set of words we need to use when someone unfamiliar comes into the home.

Staff: Welcome to Home 6. My name is _____. Would you like to sign our guestbook? Right now, we are engaged in (insert activity) with the individuals because it assists in developing the (leisure, etc) domain of their ILP (individual life plan).

It sounds so forced and artificial.

But the muckety-muck who came through our home to "quiz" us on the above ... I have to give him a little credit. He came in right after we had finished dinner. There was only me and another lady as staff. We introduced ourselves, got him to sign the guest book and the log and said we were going to be engaging in evening activities with our ladies. It came out that supplies had been ordered and were not expected until the next week. He said, "That is unacceptable. There's a WalMart next door, isn't there?" There were hundreds of dollars of supplies for arts, crafts, and sensory activities in the home the very next day.

I can't wait until the surveyors get there actually. I will be diplomatic, to be sure, but I will be honest with my opinion if and when they ask.