Those we serve
There are 300 individuals with mental retardation living at the State Supported Living Center (formerly known as the San Antonio State School). Each of them has special needs and is cared for by the staff of the Living Center.
Cathy
Cathy has had a hard time communicating most of her life. Thanks to a new GUS Multimedia Speech System, a new world has opened up to her. The speech system allows her to link pages to vocabulary concepts into conversational topics that verbalize what she cannot say. The system is useful to show how she feels and what she wants to those around her.
Sometimes Cathy goes to church with her family on Sunday. Her mother has shared a funny story regarding her daughter's use of her communication device at church one Sunday. She has a vocabulary page of church related phrases and one Sunday, opened her page that is designed to express feelings. Right in the middle of the service, Cathy let out with the phrase ,"I'm bored. Let's get out of here." Needless to say, her mother was mortified but the priest, as everyone was leaving church stopped Cathy and her family and said, "You know, I feel that way myself some Sundays."
Ronnie
A middle-aged gentleman with moderate mental retardation, Ronnie was admitted to the Living Center three years ago. Upon evaluation, it was concluded that Ronnie was anxious around groups of people and preferred to be by himself. His academic skills would not progress much further than the second grade and he would unlikely live independently in a community without assistance.
A month after admission, Ronnie began utilizing the vocational department where job coaches worked with him; teaching him to earn money by learning to count and fold shop towels and napkins in the workshop. Money earned helped him purchase his favorite soft drinks and other items. Gradually, he made a few friends and began to trust other people. Ronnie began participating in recreational activities during the week and off-campus trips to area attractions with friends and staff.
Today, Ronnie is sited as the most reliable worker in the department by his job coach. He is still a quiet man but he has come to realize that he is not alone. He is a part of the community of the Living Center and has friends and staff to support him.
