Working with the Developmental Disabled
Heading out to Stony Brook Adaptive Aquatics Ceremony 2007
Working at UCP I was privileged to help people participants like John here attend the Stony Brook University Adaptive Aquatics sessions twice a week. I and the other staff member took turns helping John participate with the public. It was one of the most exciting times for John. At the end of each semester, the program hosted a ceremony to hand out awards and celebrate with everyone who was a part of the program.
The Adaptive Aquatics is a program that uses water as a medium for the rehabilitation of a great variety of muscular, neuromuscular and neurological problems. The sessions required John to improve his range of motion and strength and he really enjoyed being with his instructors. The session was held at the Stony Brook University Pool at night.
Working with people with disabilities full time in Suffolk County
Long Island was pretty popular for housing individuals with disabilities the jobs that were available were normally providing direct care to these individuals in a group home setting. I worked in this field from 2001 to 2015 at various different locations and organizations. I will update my linkedin with more detailed information about the organizations I worked at but it was been well over a decade since I have worked at such places.
One of the popular Job titles was Direct Care Support Specialist, another one was Month health Therapy Aide. As an aide you would provide support to the program’s participants with washing, feeding, dressing, administering medication and teaching during the duration of your shift. You also were required to attend any social event they had scheduled. John was one of my favourite people to work with. He loved wrestling and Baseball and although he had a difficult speaking you learned how to understand him without him being able to fully speak.
Us and John with his Program Instructors during the dinner ceremony
This job required you to be fully hands-on with your job. I worked at least 40 - 50 hours a week at this job. Then I occasionally worked a night shift at another organization where I would care for one individual who was non-disabled but just a bit handicapped and needed his Colostomy bagreplaced in the morning as he prepared for the day. I was just awake to make sure he didn’t have any problems at night getting to and from the bathroom.
The job was pretty sweet it allowed me to be thankful for all I had in my life and made me strive to be a better human being. Managers were nice and some were not so nice but I learned from all of them. There was a time I wanted to become a Registered Nurse I even got into the Nursing Program before dropping out and pursuing a degree at Stony Brook’s College of Engineered and Applied Sciences. I will save that for another chapter. If you would like to bookmark that page I will create it here.
My Final Years in the Mental Health Field (2011 - 2015).
The last 4 years of me being in the Mental Health field I struggled with my Uncle passing away suddenly who really influenced me within my family to work more with computers and trying to overcome a [ Divorce ] that I did not see coming at all, and [Job Layoffs | NAPW] and [Administrative Leave | LIDDSO]. I will talk more about each one in a separate post in the future. I really believe this was because I was very close to finishing my 2nd Bachelor degree at Stony Brook University. It felt almost as if the Universe was against my wishes to evolve but I persevered and those problems.
Many of the issues I encounter don’t hold me back as much as it did the first time. I learn that I have to work hard in order to have the things I want in life and that isn’t just talking about money it also has to do with the society I wish to live in. Making sure I just have enough is not “enough” I have to teach others and help those who are willing to be helped. Growing up I never thought I had it all together so that I can help but these days I realize that I am enough. I can help by showing others public what I believe in and how I wish to make a difference in life.
Working with a person who is disabled I realize they don’t look down on themselves about being disabled. Many still go to college, get married and even have children. Being Human gives you the opportunity to live in the present moment and avoid thoughts from amalgamating. I must do the same.