Hard Work

People with developmental disabilities are hard to serve. It has nothing to do with who they are as people, but the system of “care” that they live in. Those charged with setting up their services rarely know them as individuals and use cookie cutters in planning for their individualized needs. This puts strain on both the individual and their caregivers.

People with developmental disabilities are hard to serve. Of course the majority of these folks have experienced felonious abuse and neglect throughout their lives, so they often don’t trust people who may actually be attempting to assist them.

People with developmental disabilities are hard to serve. The resources to support them (i.e. money, accommodations, public education) are few and far in between. Most care givers in this field have a career life expectancy of about 1 ½ years. The value placed upon these workers by government and society is DIRECTLY tied to the value placed upon the people they serve by government and society.

People with developmental disabilities are hard to serve. The training provided to these underpaid caregivers around issues like self determination, diversity, civil rights, and dignity is minimal to say the least. There’s plenty of training on how to do good paperwork, how to follow administrative rules, and how to apply physical restraint when necessary. Don’t people with developmental disabilities understand what really matters?

People with developmental disabilities are hard to serve. They often rebel against notions like they HAVE TO go to a day program they hate because the group home can’t provide staff coverage for them to stay in their home if they want to. Or the idea that a sheltered workshop (making sub-minimum wage) is their only option for employment.

People with developmental disabilities are hard to serve. They sometimes go through their entire lives without accepting their place, far away from the table. Some have also been known to speak up on behalf of their brothers and sisters. Can you imagine that?