Feature Article
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Community LivingHistory Continues... by Lillian Barker-Godfrey and Paul Kyte
The Sharbot Lake Residence The systematic downsizing of institutions in the 1980's led to the development of residential settings, or "group homes" for the disabled around the province. It was thought that smaller living environments would provide a more normalized, home-like atmosphere, and foster a more personalized approach to supports and services for the disabled. Locally, in 1981, the North Frontenac Association for the Mentally Handicapped (NFAMH) was successful in obtaining funding to open The Sharbot Lake Residence, a seven-bed home. The first residents to live there were a mixture of local adults from family homes in the area and individuals moving from institutional settings. The group home was staffed with paid support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except when residents were at work at ARC Industries in Mountain Grove.
In addition to providing a normative home atmosphere, the intent of the Sharbot Lake Residence was to provide opportunities to learn daily living skills and become involved in the local community. Weekdays the residents went to work at ARC, and evenings and weekends they were helped to do a variety of household tasks (eg. cooking, dishes, laundry, etc.). As well, they were provided with one-on-one attention to learn skills based on their individual needs (e.g. social skills, money management skills, medication self-administration, etc.). A common skill lacking in the residents was money skills. They had rarely had the opportunity to handle money prior to moving to the group home, and few understood that they received a disability pension. One individual had no appreciation for money and either ripped up paper currency or threw away money that was given to him. With patience, instruction, and many trips to local stores/services this person now understands what money is for and enjoys having his own money.
As part of their new lives, residents also had the opportunity to participate in many community activities, including a weekly gym night at the local high school, a ceramics class, community meals, woodworking classes, dances, seasonal functions, and numerous other community events. These events and activities gave the residents a chance to get out and enjoy the community and all it had to offer. They met new people, shared their experiences with friends, and eventually developed relationships with other people in their community.
For those who spent a large portion of their life living in an institution, the transition from institutional living to Community Living was sometimes a very difficult one. After years of segregation, some handicapped individuals were ill-prepared for many community experiences and/or social responsibilities. Some lacked the social skills needed for daily interactions skills that most people have learned naturally from their families and friends. Institutional life left many with no sense of privacy, theirs or others. Many didn't understand that they should knock on doors to be let in, that they should not stare at others, or take others belongings. In institutions there was very little opportunity for privacy and most items were communal. Another typical thing noticed in the group home was that residents often gained weight after moving in. The freedom to eat family style and have second helpings was a luxury not available when eating from a hospital-like tray.
These are just examples of the many things that were not taught, not learned, or just not necessary for an institutional life. Individuals previously institutionalized simply carried over skills and behaviours from the institutions and applied them in their new home and communities sometimes with less than positive results. These different behaviours could often be embarrassing or cause ridicule for a disabled person. They are often considered weird or inept, and they live with that stigma, when in fact they just have not learned the proper way of dealing with a particular situation. As many of us know, it is hard to change the inappropriate things we do or replace the bad habits we have. With patience, instruction, and the feedback received from supportive staff and community members, some of these obstacles to living in the community have been overcome. However, some who live with a developmental disability may spend the rest of their lives striving to learn and practice the needed skills to integrate smoothly into their communities.
For more information of the challenges faced by the developmentally disabled and to find out what happened to the Sharbot Lake Residence, please continue to read the Community Living articles.
