Before coming to Evergreen, Sherri spent 30 years at one of Arkansas’ state institutions. While there were many great things about the institution Sherri was in, it was crowded and she wasn’t benefiting from one-on-one attention. The ratio of staff to individuals with disabilities was about 1 to 8.
At the state instituion, Sherri shared a cottage with 8 other women. Her home, classes and activities were all on the same campus.
Even when institutions are nice and well-funded, like the one that Sherri was in, they are still institutions. By keeping individuals with disabilities apart from society, institutions foster a perception that people with disabilities are different and unable to contribute to their communities.
Sherri’s family is very active in her life and when they learned about Evergreen, they knew that the community setting and personalized attention offered would be a great match.
It has now been nearly five years since Sherri joined Evergreen’s Arkansas Division. Her life as part of the community is a sharp contrast from her three decades at an institution.
Enjoying a new life in her community
No more cramped living spaces or waiting for the shared bathroom. Sherri now lives in her own apartment. And that apartment is decorated and furnished based on Sherri’s choices, unlike her old cottage where everyone had the same furniture and limited freedoms with decor.
No more 8:1 ratio of persons served to staff. As a non-verbal individual, Sherri has thrived with the one-on-one attention she receives with Evergreen. She has 24/7 support, including overnight supervision.
No more cafeteria-style meals for Sherri. Her Evergreen direct support professionals prepare Sherri’s meals in her home. Unlike the institution, where the kitchen staff cooked in bulk for a large group, Sherri is now able to learn kitchen independence from her direct support professionals.
No more days mapped out by someone else. One of Evergreen’s core values is to give the people its serves choices. Just like Sherri was able to choose her apartment decor and furniture, she is able to choose what she wants to do every day. She works with her direct support professionals to put together a daily activity schedule. Some of her favorite activities are trips to Walmart, walking across the street to visit her mom (she is blessed that her mom lives so close!), relaxing rides in the car, eating out at the local McDonalds restaurant, visiting museums and the library.
Peace of Mind for Sherri’s Mom
Any parent of an individual with a disability knows that a huge source of anxiety is thinking about what will happen to their child when they are no longer alive to care for him or her. Thanks to your gifts, Evergreen is able to provide Sherri’s mom with the peace of mind that every parent of an individual with a disability deserves. She calls Evergreen a “God-Send” and says that she knows that Sherri will be loved, protected and have an adopted family when she is no longer around.
