Adulthood

Let’s talk about what I can’t talk about. The first question people usually ask when they find out I work in an adult foster care facility (aka group home) is, “do you have to change diapers?” My answer now is always “no.” Because, you see, diapers are for babies and we take care of adults and adults wear disposable briefs. I know this may sound like it’s not a big deal, but it has to do with dignity and dignity is a big deal. All too often people who live in group homes are viewed as children and the resulting mentality is that they should be treated as such. While some of them may admittedly have childlike qualities, this does not negate the fact that they are adults and should be afforded the same considerations as other adults.
Time for a story. Many years back, there was a major controversy over crayons and coloring books in our corporation. Administration felt that crayons and coloring books were not age appropriate for our people and urged us to do away with them in the homes. The problem was that many of the people enjoyed coloring and it was an activity in which they chose to participate. I’ve personally known many adults over the years who enjoyed coloring and simply asked my supervisor at the time if she was going to take their coloring books away too. My question was not well received and I have since developed better communication skills, but I got my point across. The discussion escalated to the level of heated argument, culminating with my request for a clear definition and list of age appropriate activities. Once I received the list, I promised I would gladly remove the coloring paraphernalia from the home; a list never appeared and we are still coloring to this day.