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Show Lakeside Review South, Wednesday, August 8, 1984 ( "How well these people do reflects on society...they are us tC resident of the Bountiful group home, dances with old friend Patty Steiner, a former resident, now married. At another party they won the dance JOHN and we are them. DUCE, contest. Hosting parties gives the handicapped planning. BOUNTIFUL It was the perfect party, About 20 guests arrived on time and stayed until the party was over. They introduced themselves and were sincerely glad to meet each other. Conversation flowed freely' and warmly. The dancing began after everyone ate. This is a slow one, someone announced as a slow Kenny Rogers record was played. If dancers whooped it up during the fast dance, they were even happier about the slow one. They joined in singing the chorus. You picked a fine time to leave me Luceellle." For a week, the eight hosts had planned, made invitations and baked for the partys success. Melvin Mitchell, Bob Carvine, Kent Alder, John Duce and Gary Green live at the Project Turn group home for retarded citizens in Bountiful. They and Kathy Aylor, Laurie Long and Kevilynn Huckleberry, also residents at the group home, have mental handicaps. But no one could have thrown a better bash. The adults live with Kitty and Juan in beds or do any work." She said a group home was a good way to make new friends and she always tells her at the Pioneer Rehabilitation Center Clearfield that "a group home will do them good." Those wanting to be in a group home must wait with their names on a long list for an opening. To be accepted they must have a mental disability, a current psychological evaluation and parents must interview with the Office of Community Operations where applications are filed. Mitchell agreed with Mrs. Duggar. At the group home he is free to walk to Mueller Park and to the hills that inspire I just him to draw beautiful landscapes. tell Kitty where Im going so she wont worry." He lived in an institution for nine years and at the nursing home for 30 in Story and photos by Cheryl Archibald Valencia, house parents, and the Valencias three year old, Maria. Giving up lives of dependence on the system they are taking risks toward independency. Some of them will marry and move into their own apartments and support themselves. Some may never be independent but they are willing to take the risk. For now, they work, play, socially interact and even plan parties. Alder and Duce have competitive jobs washing dishes and working at Deseret Industries and Miss Long is training at Lakeview Hospital in food services. Others from the home work at the Pioneer Adult Rehabilitation Center (PARC) in Clearfield on contracted projects from Hill Air Force Base and private industries. Their are mentally handicapped citizens from other group homes as well as those learning to become independent but living with their own families at home. How do clients feel about taking on responsibilities in and outside their homes? Rayma Duggar, a former resident of the Bountiful home until she married, said she knew Mitchell and Carbine years ago when they were all in the same nursing home. We didn't like it," she said. The matrons used to take things away from us and not give them back, we were boxed in. They wouldn't let us make our own 66 j experience rojject Turn years he said. Mitchell has a gift for drawing and coloring landscapes in fine detail and perspective. When he was just a boy, he said, an inner voice told him to pick up a pencil and draw. He has completed many Group Home colored pencil masterpieces since. Eight years ago, when Project Turn acquired the large house from Public Housing and the city approved rezoning for the home, residents living in the area hesitated to accept the new neighbors. They signed petitions to stop the project, believing that property values would go down. But Bountiful city council members approved and the house was refurbished and the downstairs finished in. Now it is one of the most beautifully kept homes on the street. Mrs.Valencia said Kathy Aylor is an example of the positive growth life at the group home has afforded some of its residents. Miss Aylor had a disabling fear of heights, uneven ground and hills to the point of hysteria. After two years at the group home she now walks downtown and takes the bus to the Clearfield workshop. Life for residents of the home is a continual learning process with structured lessons from Edmark Series workbooks. Life for Mrs. Valencia is one of continual teaching- - coaching the residents on hygiene and daily work tasks and teaching money management from the Edmark lesson plans. Even the party was an exercise in planning. Eighty-fiv- e percent of the mentally retarded can learn to be independent but early training is very important, according to Executive Director of the Utah As- sociation of Retarded Citizens Sue Lindner. Mental retardation is lower Kitty Valencia (holding daughter Maria, 3 has years old) helped many residents during her five years at HOUSE MOTHER the group home to move out into independent living, learning ability combined with impaired adaptive behavior, she said. Mental illness, commonly mistaken for retardation, is totally different-- a disorder of thinking and emotion. However, because of frustrations the retarded can be- come mentally ill, she said. Mrs. Valencia became house mother five years ago. I always wanted to go into social work, and I saw an ad in the paper. She applied and has been at the Bountiful home since. She must know CPR, drug use and side effects (some clients must take medicines for asthma, heart, seizures), nutrition and she takes training in fire safety and fire drills for the retarded. KENT ALDER (above left), Bob Carvine, Laurie Long, Melvin Mitchell and Kathy Aylor are just leaving for work. Kathy Aylor (right picture) repairs headsets at the Pioneer Rehabilitation Center. : House parents face a certain lack of privacy and they must find substitutes if they want to go away. Medical needs of the residents must be met, and enforcing personal goals of the residents takes persistence and patience. The Valencias attend the Church of God and all but one of the residents are LDS. This ward accepts them well. It's all up to them if they want to go to church. We encourage it, but we don't make them go, Mrs. Valencia explained. They were all in the ward MIA play. The ultimate goal of all activities is to get residents into structured apartment living. Some are ready to go, but there are not enough apartments with supervi-sor- s to help with money and nutrition. A trend is toward getting people out of in- stitutions bv changing financial focuses. After all, as Ms. Lindner said, How well these people do reflects on society. They are us, and we are them."j ; : |