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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-05-09, Page 17• ' A r 41:.'••••:••••.• '-'•"" • -`11•77FTIL . . - • :erv6vnlirlt9Foovreeprt4m.igivOeOrt9hr Aerrsisn, LAisnthouwr,epl, rWayintgrigh, iam Harriqgn,, Moorefield:, Palmerston, Bloomingdale, • Brealatt,,conestOgo, Elmira, Heidelberg, Linwood, Masynk Bt. Clementat,St. Jacobs, Waltenatein, Wellesley and Wpat Montrose. Wednesday, May 9, 1984 Approved homes program 'A stepping stone to the community' Social skills, basic survival knowledge, the ability to communicate easily with others, almost everyone has these things but probably never gives a thought to how they acquired them. For most people this kind of knowledge comes as a natural offshoot of being brought up within a traditional family unit. Within a family an individual automatically learns to interact with other people, as well as per- sonal resonsibilities such as hygiene and doing one's share of the household chores. However for mentally and develop- mentally handicapped people, most of whom have lived in an institution from an early age, these basic skills do not come easy. Learning such skills while hampered by a mental handicap is difficult enough, but in recent years mental health authorities have come to realize that being confined to an institutional setting can make learning normal behavior even harder, if not im- possible. That is why facilities like the Midwestern Regional Centre, located on Hwy. 23 bet- ween Palmerston and- Listowel, 'have such high hopes for community integration programs such as the Approved Boarding Homes (AH) program. Living in an institutional setting, residents have all their basic needs provided and receive the best care possible. It is a safe, easy existence. Unfortunately, if a person has all meals provided, he or she will never learn to cook. If one has assistance to get dressed each day, one will not learn to dress oneself. Developmentally handicapped people need much more time and much more individual attention to learn to do these things for themselves. With a ratio of one counsellor for every five residents, institutions like family to have its home certified for the program, a visit to any of the existing ap- by Patrick Raftis proved homes leaves one with the pression that for the right type of people, it is well worth the effort. LOVE, UNDERSTANDING • AND PATIENCE The Williams family of Palmerston is a perfect example of how a whole family can become involved in the approved homes program. Larry and Linda Williams haye three children of their own living at home, all of whom accept the three foster children living with them, Chris, Brian and Daryn, as part of the family and try to include them in many of their activities. The Williams' daughter Tracy has worked at Midwestern both on a volunteer basis and as summer help. Their sons Dean and Dana can both be counted on to look after their foster brothers when the Williams go out. • Mrs. Shellnutt said the Williams are very good at working With the "lower func- tioning" residents and spend a lot of time helping them improve their speech, per- sonal hygiene and life skills. Patience is an essential quality in working with these children, said Mrs. Williams. "They need lots of love and un- derstanding," she added. All three of the foster children, as well as Tommy, another Midwestern resident who has been visiting the Williams and will eventually move in, are non-verbal. Their LINDA AND LARRY WILLIAMS have been approved home kittens.' Having a pet is an experience denied handicapped main method of communication is through parents forviearly four years. They currently have three foster children living in institutions and Mrs. Williams said Tommy was sign language. children in their home and .Tornmy (left). may soonbe Moving in afraid of the kittens at first, but he seems to be getting along Brian and Daryn attend special education as well. Linda and Tommy are shown with the family's two pet fine with them here. classes at Harriston Senior Public School and Chris, who is on a short-term.placement provide a very full life. •Meanwhile approved homes are . the • foster child to the approved home. These in preparation for a move to a group home Urenda also has had a. proposal of centre's best "stepping stones to the corn-• visits are followed by overnight stays and - nearer to his natural family, returns to marriage, said Mrs. Shellnutt. She formed a munity" and more are needed. They provide weekend visits and when everyone is MidWestern daily to attend the .vocational close relationship with one of the men at , a first exposure to manythings the rest of us comfortable with each other, the foster child • - - - at s i Mrs. Williams said the whole family has resulted in him proposing an engagement. • pets, fridges and rooms of our own. • Even thiporithe family receives a lot benefited from beifigin the program. "It's. Brenda sensibly enough did not rush into •The screening process for , prospective of support from staffat the centre. very gratifying tosee people grow as they do anything„pnd after talking it over with the approved homes involvesleveplstages. Approved, home ,parents are reimbursed R4,130004 0•V •:*:,-itoltettrtalik, :deeide$1,,,n?,,04:,0,4nOnghtttior• .4.”00.0***toterviogrx..vop.4,.atuininy,..A40 - kniiiriplAngjbeietiiid,- by. the inem-bers, to make Sure e * *vial be • -goiernment, andlhey are also -reimbursed involved. Letters ofreference** needetf:,'• • of thelpproved homes program, said the program has purposely been kept on a small scale because it requires input from "special people" in the community. Currently Midwestern has 10 residents placed in five approved homes located in Listowel, Palmerston, Newry, Stratford and London. London is a bit out of Midwestern's area but Mrs. Shellnutt said the London home is a special situation as the lady of the house is a former counsellor at Midwestern and wanted to open her home to two of the residents she knew very well. The other families in the program have all contacted the centre on their own initiative, having heard about the program through friends and relatives, said Mrs. Shellnutt. In the past the centre found no need to promote the program, but with the in- creasing emphasis on deinstitutionalization, the provincial Ministry of Community and Social Services 'recently gave both the go- ahead and the increased funding to expand the program. Many approved home placements are of the long-term 'variety. One of the residents in the program has been in the same ap- proved home for nine years. However, Midwestern is also looking for foster families to take residents for shorter, transitional periods, while prepareing for life in a group home. "We would like to see families who would like to be involved on an even more short- term basis," said Mrs. Shellnutt, adding there is -a need for families to take care of . residents on weekends and holidays, to give Midweste-fn are unable to provide that kind themselves: Whether interested in long or short-term placements, no one need feel their family is not Ight typejorfie ipprove.d bre, Is e ekiatinrhoihe s in 'the aivefii'e operated by diversified types of people. • "All our families are unique. The parents all have very different parenting skills," Said Mrs. Shellnutt. program there, r'rwiarkTn.-FL---tritry Enterprises which have become accustomed to — telephones, movesin t, . approved %Ohm parents- -s-ome -time to of individualized care. That is why the emphasis is now on placing residents in community settings and ideally, into independant livity, situations: This is Wliere aPprelied Emit& &Melia the picture. • Residents are placed with carefully selected families who have volunteered to act as foster families. The residents are not discharged from the centre and centre staff work closely with the foster family. Midwestern's AH program has been operating for, 12 years. Joan Shellnutt, a social worker at the centre, and supervisor •-• • Approved home families are carefully screened before being accepted into the program, a process which takes several months, said Mrs. Shellnutt. Although it is not a simple matter for a • '.• LYNN (RIGHT) enjoys a rug -hooking session with herkister mother Alfhild Neabel. Mrs. Neabel and her husband Ron were involved with the Children's Aid Society foster parents program before becoming approved home parents. •••' It'A•••z , ,•;<---••••••••• BRENDA (LEFT) and Isobel help out in the approved Herman and Odillia Holterman. Isobel has been living with the Holtermans for nine years and Brenda has been with them for seven. Both young women work at Town and Country Enterprises, in Listowel and Brenda is a candy -striper at the local hospital. kitchen at the Listowel home of She' also said the foster children are weita'• '••--inatrimony on hold for a couple of years; known and accepted in the community : Ohile remaining friends with her beau. "It makes you feel good to go into a store and find that there's always someone who knows the boys," she said. Mrs. Williams grew up in a home where doors were always open to foster children. Her mother and one sister are involved with the AH program at Huronia Regional. Centre, in Orillia. The Williams have been involved with the Midwestern AH- program almost four years and -Mrs. Williams says, "It's a good way to engage in a meaningful occupation in your own home. I'm all for approved homes." IN PROGRAM 12 YEARS "Those kids just wound around my heartstrings,'.said Odillia' Holterman, describing how she felt almost 12 years ago while driving a bus taking students to an Atwood school fbr developmentally han- dicapped pupils. Mrs. Holterman and her husband Herman had heard about the approved home • program from another family who had some foster children living with them. The couple, who have four grown children of their own, ' had some previous experience as foster parents for the Children's Aid Society. • • Since they joined the program, seven foster children have gone through the Holtermans' approved home, some of them have gone to live in group homes, but there are currently three young women enjoying the warm family atmosphere found in this Listowel home. Brenda and Isobel have been living with the Holtermans for seven and nine years respectively. They are graduates of the Atwood school and currently work at Town and Country Enterprises, a sheltered workshop in Listowel. Marlene, who recently joined the Holtermans from the Midwestern facilities, also works at Town and Country. All the three are over 21 and in Isobel's case, having come to them at the age of 14, the Holtermans have enjoyed watching her grow from a Gild into a young woman. Like most women their age the three have boyfriends, three developmentally han- dicapped young men who also work at the sheltered workshop and walk them home each day. In addition to helping Mrs. Holterman with various household chores the women are very involved in, and feel part of the surrounding community. All three do some babysitting and enjoy bowling, camping and swimming. Mrs. Shellnutt points out that many Midwestern residents who are put into approved homes are confused at first by the choice of ways to spend their free time. Within the most of the activities offered are group activities, planned by the counsellors. "Deciding what they want to do, and then going out and doing it, is a very big step for these people," said Mrs. Shellnutt. Brenda is a perfect example of the ef- feetiveness of moving people from in- stitutions into a family setting. Her job, which involves making wedding decorations, knitting and rug hooking and making walking deliveries to the post office, her work as a candy -striper at the !mai hospital and singing with a church choir, How many parents must wish -their natural children would 'put such stock in their advice? . • COUNTRY LIFE Privacy is something unknown to people living in institutions. Everything from sleeping quarters and washroom facilities to recreational ac- tivities and even parties is shared with other residents of the wards. So for 14 -year-old Lynn, having a birthday party of her very own was one of the first highlights of moving into the approved home of Ron and Alfhild (Alfie) Neabel. , Christmas was another new experience. "When she got her Christmas presents, she couldn't get over the fact they were still there the next day," said Mrs. Neabel. • On the wards at Midwestern it is almost impossible for residents to have personal possessions because so many of them cannot grasp the concept of ownership. They don't know not to take what doesn't • belong to them. Consequently, said Mrs. Shellnutt, at times like Christmas, presents are•given out and then later put away for safekeeping. Since moving to the Newry area poultry farm managed by the Neabels Lynn has been able to collect some personal belongings and "she really takes care of stuff" said Mrs. Neabel. Lynn attends the Atwood school and last September began the experience of catching the school bus each morning: just like country children everywhere. She also has a number of chores to attend to around the house. She cleans her own room, helps gather eggs and get vegtables from the garden, along with other usual tasks associated with farm life. Like the Holtermans, the Neabels. have been foster parents for the Children's Aid Society, and have handled over 40 children for the CAS. They agree that it is much harder to work with CAS children because of discipline problems, than it is to be a foster parent to a mentally retarded child. Lynn's communication skills are not as good as they could be, and the Neabels feel they have e made progress with her speech "Lynn is a very easy child to look after, but the thing that upsets her the most is when you don't understand her," said Mrs. Neabel. By reminding Lynn to slow down when she is talking too east, the Neabels have helped her to attain understandable speech most of the time. "Our main goal is to help her get some independence, -go to the store by herself, things like that," said Mr. Neabel. QUALIFICATIONS While Mrs. Shellnutt feels there will always be a need for facilities like Mid- western for certain types of people, she says there are Many more people who could benefit by a less restrictive living situation. She said the centre is aiming at doubling its approved home placements by the end of 1984, which will mean placing 10 more people in homes by that date. In addition to moving people to approved homes, Mrs. Shellnutt said some Mid- western residents could go to a partially - supervised apartment prograrn. • Families make several visit§ fettle centre for training and orientation programs on understanding the handicapped. Also the family must agree to the On - tinned involvement of the foster child's natural family. Finally the house itself must be inspected by fire and health authorities. for anypersonal expenses of the child, such as hair cuts and other needs. Payment is mademonthly on aper child, per day basis. Mrs. Shellnutt emphasizes that approved homes are not "money -making operations" and that "warm, caring people" make the best approved home families.. Anyone wishing to be involved' with the Approved Homes Program, or wanting Once accepted into the program the more information, . should contact , Joan family starts by visiting the fostet child at Shellnutt at the Midwestern Regional the centre. The next Step is day visits by the Centre. Call 343-2015: 4.; • :, PREPARING her own lunch for work at Town and Country Enterprides Is one of AnarL lene's responsibilities since moving into the approved home of Herman and Odillia 30.0•44tr. Holterman, Of Listowel. •