Comments on: Neighbors fear new group home residents

By: tom sheepandgoats

tom sheepandgoats — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:00:45 +0000

I work in a group home. In many ways, its the most rewarding work (not financially) I’ve ever done. I wrote a brief synopsis of normal life at our home:

http://tinyurl.com/d77n4e

By: Elisabeth's Mom

Elisabeth's Mom — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:54:55 +0000

In the early 80s, my husband and I moved next door to a group home of 4-5 adult males and befriended them (as their caretakers) as we would any neighbor living next door.

I can tell you that relatives and friends were a little uneasy with the situation deeming it unsafe in some cases. For example, one time my sister-in-law became quite upset about the “pacing” behaviors demonstrated by one of the men who came out on the deck to get some sun while we were having a Mother’s Day BBQ.

I assured her that one of the many benefits of living next door to a group home was the 24 security detail of social workers and health aid staff coming and going many of whom we already knew on first name basis.

Needless to say, I learned that the only real handicap or disability these people face are the attitudes, bias, and prejudice of people who clearly do not want to take the time to get to know them.

By: Pamela Wilson

Pamela Wilson — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:05:36 +0000

When my son was a sprout, I wrote letters in support of group homes being built in our neighborhood and nearby cities so that he could live in the community where he grew up as an adult. After a great deal of neighborhood input and compromises, a lovely home was built just a few blocks from our house.

It still moves me to this day to remember that when only a few of the adult sons and daughters of the parents who advocated for these opportunties became residents, one mother told me that we must have compassion for those who were living in institutions, who filled most of the resulting vacancies. I believe several sets of long-time friends were able to be roommates in the new group home, so they were not torn away from everyone they knew and sent to a neighborhood and living situation they had not experienced until then. These opportunties transform lives.

I was shocked to read about the protests of neighbors who felt that the residents with developmental disabilities would be more of a threat than men who disguised themselves as decent human beings but victimized children and other vulnerable individuals for years before being caught.

People with developmental disabilities deserve to live in their own neighborhoods when they become adults. Even people who are released from prison have that right.

I wonder if the protest is in part because all the new residents will be men, when those moving on were a mixed gender group?

I’m glad they did become well integrated in the community while they were there. It must be a difficult transition for those moving out, too, and I hope that they are able to stay together with friends.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:30:04 +0000

I am surprised that agencies that serve disabled individuals are still using that “group home” model. Why so many adults living in one house? I thought the trend was to be a bit more realistic which includes single apartments or condominiums with one or 2 people. I can’t imagine that adults would actually choose to live in a house with so many other adults, sounds like dorm living to me. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the dorms in college as a teen and as a YOUNG, 20 something adult but as I got older….don’t think so. Do these agencies really think adults in the real world live in “group homes”?