2ndclepunkbuddha

Today while having a chat with a former coworker, I found out that a man I was taking care of two years ago at the group home where I worked died recently.  I had quit the job nearly two years ago, I only kept up with the former coworker, but there were a few times I would give the residents of the group home a thought or two.  What's sad about working with the developmentally disabled is aplenty.  In short, the social work bureaucracy is beyond horrible - if you are working for them on a PRN / optional basis (such as being a substitute teacher or a job coach), one day they will just forget about you.  They will just never call or text you again, and if and when you reach out to them, they just won't respond and move onto the next person.  If you work for them on a full time basis at part time hours (such as being a direct support professional at the group home where I was) when you will be working crazy hours and worked to death, they will treat you badly and f...

In the first quarter of this year, like a lot of people, I was looking to make certain changes.  As I was unable to live primarily on a multi district substitute teacher's income, I took a second job in order to make a living.  During the fall semester of my first year of substitute teaching, I was working at a group home for the developmentally disabled (most weekday mornings and every other weekend on during the day shift).  It was an alright job - I was a babysitter for 12 mild/moderate adults who were living semi-independently and just needed some minimal to medium assistance in doing everyday tasks (driving a car, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.).  The primary thing they needed was to have someone pass out their meds first thing in the morning before they left for work on the weekdays or when they got up on the weekends.  Financially it was profitable, but as I would find out in working in the social work world, things would change like that.  If you a...