Final Week

All was going well for Terrance. His job was going well and he was getting along with many of the members of in his group home. Unfortunately, one day Terrance had a tantrum at work when some teenagers came in to the restaurant and were making fun of the way he spoke. His employers tried to work with him but with the outburst following the incident, he felt that Terrance could not handle the job and was fired. Terrance could not understand why he was fired, he believed it was the customer’s fault and he did not understand why he was at fault. His behaviors at the group home also began to escalade causing issues. Terrance went back to his job coach and worked on his social skills once again. He was also sent to behavior management therapy to work on managing his temper tantrums and his anger. As his skills began to develop, Terrance was able to go back to work again getting a job stocking shelves at a local grocery store. Although Terrance has a lower IQ of about 75 he learned to match items and was able to lift heavy items due to his large size.

            As the years went on, Terrance’s body began to fall apart. He was forgetting things more easily and picking up heavier items was taking a toll on his body. He began to walk with a slight hunch and eventually needed the use of a cane to get around. He no longer was able to lift heavy things in the grocery store and was placed at a new job. He was assigned to wash windows and other maintenance tasks at a local office building. Terrance was good at doing these tasks, especially after training. He liked being around people, but he did not really have to initiate interactions. Many of the people working at the business were older, more accepting. Terrance really enjoyed being at work and everyone got to know him and loved his help.

            Terrance worked at his job for ten years until he lost most of his hearing and was unable to communicate properly at his job. He was told to “retire” and just spend some time at the group home. While at the home, he helped daily with tasks around the home which kept him busy but his lack of employment and communication problems really limited him. He began to get angry again and did not understand why he could not hear what anyone was saying and why they would not speak up. Fortunately, one of the caretakers at the facility noticed that he was having trouble hearing and referred him to hearing specialist. Medicaid paid for his hearing aid and he was able to become social again.

            Once Terrance reached 65, the caretakers of his current group home felt that his needs were getting to be a little more severe. Terrance was having difficulties bathing himself daily as well as other day to day tasks. It was decided through his social workers that it was time to move to another group home more suited for elderly individuals with mental disabilities. Terrance felt abandoned and became depressed. Why did they not like him? Once he reached his new group home he settled in after a few months. Eventually his health began to deteriorate and he began to have heart issues. Fortunately, Terrance lived happily until just a week after his 80^th birthday when he suffered from a heart attack and passed away. His mother would have been proud to see him living a happy life with friends and being well taken care of.