Vi . ' PORT R E SUME ED 019 823 EC 000 468 TRAINING FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, A COMMUNITY PROGRAM FOR SEVERELY RETARDED ADULTS. A THREE YEAR REPORT. BY-. TOBIAS, JACK ASSOCIATION FOR THE HELP OF RETARDED CHILDREN PUB DATE MAR 63 EDRS PRICEMF-$0.50 HC -$5.12 126P. DESCRIPTORS- *EXCEPTIONAL CHILD RESEARCH, *COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, *MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, *VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, TRAINABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, DAY CARE PROGRAMS, CUSTODIAL MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS, EDUCABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED, ADULTS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PROGRAM EVALUATION, PROGRAM PLANNING, SELF CARE SKILLS, TRAVEL TRAINING, AN OCCUPATIONAL DAY CENTER FOR MENTALLY RETARDED ADULTS WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR RETARDED PERSONS WHO LIVE AT HOME AND, ALTHOUGH BEYOND SCHOOL AGE, ARE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SHELTERED WORKSHOP ACTIVITIES. THE STAFF INCLUDES A DIRECTOR, A SOCIAL WORKER, FIVE INSTRUCTORS, A TRAINING SUPERVISOR, AN OFFICE WORKER, AND A PSYCHOLOGIST (PART- TIME). OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD, 83 CLIENTS WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM WITH ABOUT 55 TO 60 BEING ENROLLED AT ONE TIME. AVERAGE AGE AT ADMISSION WAS 21 YEARS (FEW CLIENTS WERE OVER AGE 30), AND IQ'S RANGED FROM 15 TO 65 WITH A MEAN IQ OF 36. ABOUT 80 PERCENT HAD ATTENDED PUBLIC SCHOOL SPECIAL CLASSES. SPECIFIC TRAINING INCLUDED TRAVEL TRAINING, GROOMING AND SELF CARE! OR TO THE COMMUNITY, DOMESTIC SKILLS, AND REMUNERATIVE WORK. SIMPLE ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION INCLUDED READING SIGNS, TELLING TIME, AND USING MONEY. STATISTICAL TESTS WITH DATA FROM THE CLIENTS PRODUCED THESE FINDINGS - -THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP (.01 LEVEL USING T TEST) BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE AND THE ABILITY TO BENEFIT FROM TRAVEL INSTRUCTION. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIP (.001 AND .05 LEVELS FOR VARIOUS IQ GROUPS USING T TESTS) BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE TEST SCORE AND THE NUMBER OF WORK UNITS PRODUCED PER HOUR. MONGOLOID CLIENTS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PRODUCTIVE (.05 LEVEL USING T TEST) IN A CONTINUED WORK ACTIVITY THAN THEIR INTELLECTUAL PEERS IN OTHER ETIOLOGIC GROUPS. THE SAN FRANCISCO SOCIAL COMPETENCY SCORES OF CLIENTS ARE PRESENTED. SAMPLE EVALUATIONS OF TRAINEES AND SAMPLE CASE STUDIES ARE INCLUDED. DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DAILY PROGRAM AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS, PROFESSIONAL GROUPS, AND THE PUBLIC ARE GIVEN. (JZ) .4 sa = A , n. ASSOCIATION FOR THE HELP OF RETARDED CHILDREN 200 Park Avenue South / New York 3, N. Y. / ALgonquin 4-8203 New York City Chapter SEYMOUR RUBIN, President WILLIAM A. FRAENKEL, Ph.D., Executive Director March 4, 1963 Dr. Robert H. Felix, Director NationalInstitute of Mental Health Bethesda 14, Maryland Dear Dr. Felix: It is with extreme pleasure that we transmit to you our final report on the Occupation Day Center For Mentally Retarded Adults.We have learned a great deal from this project and believe we have made a modest contribution to the field of mental retardation through the grant. As you read the report you of course cannot capture the excitement and spirit among the Staff, Trainees, and Volunteers. It is there. It is reflected in a twenty year old severely retarded male saying, "I can tie my shoelaces all by myself". It is caught up in a statement of a parent saying, "I am ao glad...my older daughter does not have to go to an Institution now; she can even make her own bed". You hear it in another parent who says, "We gave up all hope on Tom. Now he is workings Full timeIt's like a miracle happened!" When this project first started, the goals that were set were to developcertain self care skills; to improve socialization; to increase overall independence to whatever degree possible. Interestingly enough and to our utter amazement we found that we had underplayed potentials. We discovered two higher levels of achievement were possible- sheltered employ- ment and remunerative employment in the community. On the other hand we also documented the need for two steps in the other direction, leading toward our conviction that the rofoundly retarded can be served in, a community facility of this type. We offer to the retarded and their families and to the professionals who engage ita such challenging work, new information and a new program, which we believe has some import to all aerviceo for the adult retardate. Sincerely, tdtjt11-4-0-1"--..Ctidea-4 William A. Fraenkel WAF:md Member of: New York State Association for Retarded Children, Inc. A Non-Profit Tax Exempt Organization Member of: National Association for Retarded Children, Inc. .6k fX, 04,1 WI K^rir William A Fraenkel, Ph. D.,Executive Director Seymour Rubin, President Cyril Weinberg, 1st Vice President Anne L. Kraus, Znd Vice-President Bernard M. Fineson, 3rd Vice-President OFFICERS Sidney Leviton, 4th Vice-President George G. Hirsch, Financial Secretary Stanley Geismar, Assistant Financial Secretary Max W. Schachter, Treasurer Burton Loewer, Assistant Treasurer Minna Bober, Recording Correspondence Secretary Ann Greenberg, Founder Charles Cam.pana Senator Wm. Conklin Sam Cook Digges George Greene Harry Herman James J. Harris Lydia Hershkowitz Leo Jacobs Billie Kamen William Kaufman BOARD OF DIRECTORS William M. Lesser 1 Jack Nash Betty Pendler Dr. Jack Portnoy Phyllis Rosenthal Seymour Rueiges Murray Safran Sadie Seewald Casper Smith Thomas F. Ward Joseph Words, M.D., Chairman Herbert Birch, M. D.,Ph. D. Owen Bernstein Frances Connor, Ed. D. Professor Chris DeProspo PROFESSIONAL Elena Gall, Ed. D. ADVISORY Ignacy Goldberg, Ed. D. BOARD George G. Hirsch Judge Nathaniel Kaplan Katherine Lynch Professor Louis Rosenzweig Seymour Rubin Lawrence Slobody, M. D. Lawrence Taft, M. D. Joseph T. Weingold George Zuckerman, Ph. D. -5- 71M.17111,WW,-.777,75P1WPRC..1.1, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. TRAINING FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING A three year report of "Occupation Day Center for Mentally Retarded Adults" March 1963 Prepared by Tack Tobias Chief Psychologist Occupation Day Center 222 East Fifth Street New York 3, New York Tack Gorelick Director The Occupation Day Center is a project of the New York CityChapter, Assocf.ation for the Help of Retarded Children, 200 Park AvenueSouth, New York 3, New York William A. Fraenkel, Ph. D. Executive Director This project was supported in part, by a demonstration grant,No. OM-294, from the National Institute of Mental Health, Department of Health,Education and Welfare, Washington, D. C. 0:r#A,4-"' FOREWORD It is impossible to list all the individualsand agencies to whom this project is indebted. Manyare, and will remain, anonymous. This includes the group of de- termined parents who recognizedtheir children's needs and refused to acceptas inevitable that "Nothing is available." Their quiet insistence on implementing the Association's slogan, "Retarded ChildrenCan Be Helped," provided the impetus for an investigation of thefeasibility of a center for severely retarded adults. Particular appreciation is due to the 83 traineeswho came to learn but, in the process, also provided much needed understanding and instructionto the staff.The trainees' responses to staff's efforts actedas the greatest motivation to keep trying and provided the day by day stimulationnecessary to attempt continued improvements. The major costs of the project have been borne bythe National Institute of Men- tal Health, without whose help theprogram could not have taken its present form. Special thanks are due to the staff of N.I. M. H. for their recognition of the need for this demonstration and for their interestand cooperation through theyears. The great generosity of the Daughters of Israelin making available to the Oc- cupation Day Center the building that has housedthe program since its inception has eased the burden of finding and payingfor needed space in which to operate.The assurance of their continued support and their agreement to extendmore rooms for program purposes provides some assurance of continuation of activities. A large measure of thesuccess of the program is due to Mr. Arnold Cortazzo who acted as Director during; the grant periodand who has since transferred his activities to the National Association for RetardedChildren. The Ladies Charity Guild, the Giving Hands andthe Caroline League are among the philanthropic groups whose periodic contributions providedthe amenities that enriched some features ofprogram. Their continued interest was always welcome. 4 'The time and energies of Mrs. Muriel Geismar,Chair lady of the Committee of the Occupation Day Centerwere always available. Her readiness toassume responsibility for many chores lightened the load ofstaff and brightened the days of many trainees. Most especial thanks are due to Mrs. Deborah Tettler, secretary at the Oc- cupation Day Center, who typed the originalmanuscript and the finishedcopy with patience and good humor in the midst of buzzingswitchboards and the barrage of visits from trainees. Jack Gorelick, Director Occupation Day Center TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter of Transmittal Foreword Introduction 1 Chapter I. Objectives of the Program 2 Chapter IL Admission and Evaluation Procedures 6 Chapter la. The Building and the Staff 12 Chapter IV. Population 18 Chapter V. Social and Behavioral Characteristics 32 Chapter VI. Travel Training 36 Chapter VII.Grooming and Self-Care 48 Chapter VIMOrientation to the Community 54 Chapter IX. Remunerative Work 58 Chapter X. Academic Instruction