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Countryside residents learn about independence Concentrating on positives THE HERALD Wednesday May IB Page I It it Hill other households are sett ling Into cooking the even ing a dinner too But at Countryside the North Hal on Association for the Mentally Retarded rural residence or adult clients this kind of activity is a major lesson of everyday life For some It a one step In a slow but patient process which could lead to Independent living There s room for IS adults at Countryside Jackie Martin program and director of residential services lor the told The Herald In a recent Inter view And the place Is always filled to capacity Here capped adults learn pers on hygiene eat proper ly dress neatly and even how to behave with other residents and neighbors learn to overcome simple problems build and a basis from which they can pick up other skills With paychequea from nearby Arc Industries In their pockets clients look forward to Fridays when most of them will bead Into Georgetown or Mil ton to shop and do their banking While simple and nec essary chorea for the rest of us they represent great strides In develop ment for the mentally handicapped and high light hardworking and caring staff can ach ieve They participate In Countrysides politfcal 1 holding house meet ings and beeT sessions And but summer they vacationed together In Northern Ontario renting a lodge after vacation time from Arc MANY GOALS Countryside residents once had a housekeeper cook for them and help out with the cleaning but the position closed when It was decided rest- dents should cook and clean for themselves It bard for them to learn if someone Is doing things for them Ms Martin said As far the recreational activities go they dont have to participate In some things If they don want to Our programs provide Idual attention and Ins truction time Training at Countryside and In the other NHAMR programs has a number Ms Some of the people who come here over the age of is may move on to more independent Ilv she explained while some may contin ue to need the programs we offer here Clients who learn their skills well at Country side may move Into the NHAMR apartment program In Georgetown While still under the urn of the Association clients live very Indepen dent lives In an apart ment setting where they are expected to take care of their cooking and household needs They still part In NHAMR events and programs but the opportunity to live on their own Is unbeat able educational exper ience Ms Martin main tained Our cheat Just Moss om when they more Into the apartment program she said They Immed iately learn because they have a whole community of nonhandicapped role models Residents and staff at Countryside are both looking forward to into either George town or Milton If group homes are eventually es tablished In North Hal ton urban areas Closer to many services must now wait to use while out at Countryside group home residents Ms Martin expects have many of the same learn ing opportunities clients In apartments now enjoy A final and remarkable achievement and there have been a few In Hills follows a staff ass essment which concludes that a client Is ready for totally Independent llv ON OWN At this point the ties with the needed for support though clients may con tinue to participate In recreational programs life skills lessons to keep the clients know ledge refreshed Is passed on to a special program run by Sheridan College Domestic develop ment at this point also becomes more enriched and mentallyhandicapp ed adults learn to make decisions on values relig lous life and even sexual Ity No one Is forced to take these sessions with a highlyprofessional coun sellor Ms Martin sold but they add lessons which are as necessary In the Uvea of clients series of and gradual steps the outside world for the mentally handicapped becomes less forbidding When clients are ready to branch out on their own the NHAMR mokes plans for them three months In advance help ing them find a place to stay and organizing visits from people with the Sheridan program Skills lessons on making do In the outside world Ms Martin explained are In tensified Instead of on the assess ment concentrates on strengths built by the up In the i and new goals axe set for the client each year When clients arrive at Countryside for the first time one of the hardest things Ms Martin said Is to motivate them Into using their skills Society tends to under estimate the mentally handicapped Faced with that they t to use their skills to a maximum But the Countryside staff plus the one full time counsellor and one parttime person In the apartment program pre fer not to push develop ment opting to take a sensitive approach to growth Staff here spend a lot of time talking about what the clients are doing not what they doing Ms Martin sal form a great team Be A Friend The Be A Friend program Is almost two years old and quite a success among volunteers and clients After a screening session volunteers and mentallyhandicapped clients ore matched and the volunteer becomes part of the clients ongoing educative process Friends and clients do things together go to movies the bank or Just sit down for a coffee and chat Its often especially helpful after clients leave the buffered environment of Countryside to have a friend who con help ease them into a lifestyle with program challenge for you call the for more the community If you think the program an Interesting Information Ritchie Is one of 11 residents it Countryside a residence for mentallyhandicapped adult run by the North lit Hon Association or the Mentally Retarded Here skills which people take tor granted like setting the table are major incenses In resident training Get Efficient Air Conditioning THIS TIME ROUND Until June 30IH83 Call for details now On It ECoU Come in and see a heat pump in operation THE NQIMAKER OF HEAT PUMPS AMP AIR CONDITIONERS MILTON Appliance d efmqeration COOLING 785 Main Street East Milton Ont Ac on 8761138 LUMBER THIS WEEKS I SPECIAL KiNGSFORD CHARCOAL BRIQUETS 9 Kg Lbs BAG VOLUME PRYING MAJOR RENOVATION AND BUILDING SUPPLIES GIS FIR PLYWOOD 1x6 32 39 21 38 45 26 2x6 60 72 42 62 81 97 NOT AVAILABLE I 4x4 1575 1995 2795 4x8 STANDARDSPRUCE 00 18502100 SPRUCE LUMBER INSULATION I 48 88 STUD 199 1x3x8 69 A ECONOMY I SHINGLES 895 LUMBER 499 509 Sq Ft 1795 Sq Ft 1695 555 885 KEN SMITH FRANCHISE DEALER 316 Guelph St 8772234 STORE HOURS Tubs Wed am t pm Fri pm Sallircliiy 530