When Sheena Wickham, 22, moved with her parents to El Dorado a year ago, life as she had known it in Ohio abruptly changed.
Sheena no longer had her brothers, grandparents, other relatives and friends nearby. She and her mom and dad, Kim and Tom Douglas, lived in a different house, in a different town, and she no longer spent weekdays at a sheltered workshop for individuals with developmental disabilities. And since Sheena was nonverbal, it was difficult to get acquainted with those around her.
“The initial separation from her grandparents and other relatives was very traumatic for her,” Kim Douglas said.
Jobs were the reason for the family’s move – Tom became general manager of the Pioneer Balloon facility in El Dorado, and Kim, the quality assurance manager. As soon as they found time, the couple contacted Flinthills Community Developmental Disability Organization, Butler County’s gatekeeper organization for those seeking services. After talking with a number of people and reading brochures, Kim and Tom decided Creative Community Living would be the best choice for their daughter.
“We chose CCL because of the programming,” Kim said. “I knew it would be the right fit for Sheena. In Ohio, the only choice in our county was a sheltered workshop with about 100 clients. Sheena wasn’t interested in doing something repetitive all day to earn money. We liked CCL because it was designed to meet the individuals’ needs. There is structure, but when they go to the park or grocery shopping, those are good life experiences. It is important for them to be part of the community, especially for those who don’t live with their family.
“Sheena started at CCL in February, and she fit in there like a glove,” Kim said. “She loves it. I can’t say enough good things about the day services staff. They know Sheena’s likes and dislikes. Ben and Charlotte have watched her closely so they know by her signing, facial expressions and gesturing what she’s wanting. They’ve focused on her so they understand, even though she’s nonverbal.”
Day services coordinators Ben Dreher and Charlotte Smith learned Sheena will answer “yes” and “no” questions and point to her preference of items when given a choice.
Sheena’s biggest new adventure at CCL was attending camp last August – and staying overnight both nights. According to her mom, it was Sheena’s first time to stay overnight with someone other than a relative.
“She loved it,” said Kim, admitting she and Tom were lost without their daughter in the evenings. “She loved dancing, having a band. When Tom and I visited on Friday, she was as busy as a bee. She had a hundred things to sign or show us.”
Participating in Special Olympics this fall, beginning with bowling, is among Sheena’s other new experiences. And having chapel as a day services activity is another change Sheena enjoys, according to her mother.
Kim said she appreciates CCL providing educational experiences such as visiting museums and viewing the “Titantic” exhibit in Wichita. She likes to do reinforcement activities with Sheena at home – for instance, viewing “Titantic” photographs on the Internet and talking about them after Sheena’s trip to Exploration Place with CCL. In fact, she’d like for her daughter to have even more educational opportunities – and maybe the chance to go to a live concert once a year.
Though happy with the current program, Kim believes it will be even better after CCL remodels the day services/office building in El Dorado. That project is expected to begin in early 2008 and take at least six months.
“I’m excited about the expansion,” Kim said. “They already do so many things, but it will be good when the new facility opens. There will be more room for activities, and it will be a more realistic setting. The kitchen will be a real kitchen. The leisure room will be larger.”
Kim said the only negative aspect of their experiences here has been paying for Sheena’s services. In Ohio, costs were automatically covered through taxes. Because of a funding shortage in Kansas, Sheena remains on a waiting list for services. That means her parents must pay if they want her to participate. However, Kim complimented Jennifer Krone, Sheena’s case manager at CCL, for improving that situation.
“Jennifer has been absolutely a godsend,” she said. “She figured out a way to get our cost down, and she helped us find a way to solve our early morning problem. Tom and I have to be at work at 7:30 and 8, so there was a period of time when Sheena had no place to go. We tried taking her to work with us and several other arrangements, but nothing worked very well. It was affecting our jobs.
“In late September Jennifer arranged assistance for us for an hour every morning. Someone comes to the house to make sure Sheena is okay and finishes getting her ready. Then she is transported to CCL. It’s working out well.”
Jennifer said she contacted Flinthills CDDO to see if there were any possibilities for financial help with the family’s early morning dilemma. Director Jennifer Feller said one possibility was assistance with respite care costs, Jennifer Krone helped the family apply, and it was approved.
Jennifer Krone has seen a number of changes in Sheena since she first came to CCL.
“For a while Sheena didn’t join group activities,” she said. “Now she’s starting to sit with the others or stand and watch what they are doing before she retreats. She’s starting to relate more to both clients and staff.”
“She likes to be included,” Charlotte agreed. “She lets you know if she is feeling left out.”
“Instead of getting upset because she’s being left behind,” Ben said, “Sheena is starting to ask if she can go places when she sees someone else is going. She points to herself and says ‘me.’”
Sheena is also learning patience, according to both Jennifer and Charlotte.
“If you talk about going somewhere or doing something Sheena likes, she wants it to happen right then,” Charlotte said. “We’ve tried different things such as setting a timer she can watch and know how long it is until we go. We also explain to her why we have to take turns and that she’ll get her turn.”
“It’s still difficult for Sheena to wait, but she’s more able to manage,” Jennifer said.
Explanations are also helping her accept changes in day center staffing that sometimes occur.
“I can honestly say that since Sheena started at CCL, I’ve seen a lot of growth,” Kim Douglas said. “She is more independent, she wants to help more around the house, and she’s taking a more active role in the family. I attribute that to CCL and its ongoing process of helping Sheena develop as an individual.
“Moving to Kansas was a big change for Sheena,” her mom said, “but she loves CCL. She looks forward to going every day.”
And now that Sheena’s younger brother has joined the family in El Dorado, life is even better.