JULY
2014
T
Garden Center Services
HE LEAFLET
The View From My Chair A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
by the referral agencies that require the person to take a number of assessments. The purpose of these assessments is to pinpoint those deficits in cognitive, physical, and lifeskill development that will
Nicole & Gerry
INSIDE THIS ISSUE THE VIEW FROM MY CHAIR Page 1 GARDEN CENTER FAMILY Page 2 GCS WALKS, ROLLS & RUNS Page 3 AROUND GCS Page 4
Looking forward to this coming weekend and all the 4th of July celebrations leads me to think about the term “independence” and the struggles we’ve all gone through, as individuals and as a country, to become the people we want to be, spending our precious lives doing what we want to do. I would say the overarching goal we have as an agency that provides services and supports to adults with intellectual and physical disabilities is getting to know each person well enough so that we can accurately identify what their hopes and aspirations are and then doing whatever we can to assist them in realizing this potential. Before individuals are “awarded” state funding so that they can attend our programs, they must be screened
“It is only by spending quality time with an individual, deeply listening to them, observing them, that one comes to grasp their aptitude and ambitions. ”
verify they meet the criteria of having a developmental disability. It seems to be such a “what’s broken” way of looking at human beings, and does not give proper emphasis to the unique presence and contribution that each person possesses. It is only by spending quality time with an individual, deeply listening to them, observing them, that one comes to grasp their aptitude and ambitions. In both our day and residential programs we are continually working to improve the experiences and exposure our consumers receive driven by the approach described above.
We so appreciate the input provided by the families about their loved ones, and also the insights contributed by our caring staff that spends so much of their day engaged with our consumers. As an agency, as we become more aware and sensitive to the hopes and possibilities that are within each person we support, we must strive to make those changes necessary that will give them better access to full lives of participation. As much as I wanted to mention independence in this article, I also wanted to stress the need and benefit of “interdependence”. It’s truly only through the acceptance and support of one another that we can really become our best selves. I often think that one of the greatest gifts bestowed on us by the persons we support at Garden Center Services is their innate understanding of this principle, and the enviable way they open themselves to receiving and providing kindness. Enjoy the newsletter, and have a great summer.