Integration & Reflection Paper
Introduction
Acceptance and inclusion tend to be fundamental components of what is conceptualized as a high-quality life. Within the last century, the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has changed drastically. Throughout history, mankind has failed to accept people with IDD and, as a result, they have been isolated into a world of their own. Institutions are a concrete example of this failure, as they permitted the segregation of individuals with IDD. It was not until the 1970s that the deinstitutionalization movement sparked a revolution for individuals with IDD. This movement meant that individuals with IDD would not be subjected to seclusion from the rest …show more content…
Although significant headway has occurred, many challenges remain to overcome and continue improving the lives of individual’s with IDD. Among these challenges is assuring that these individuals receive the services and supports that they need to enhance their quality of life. Perhaps the biggest challenges are altering the lens through which disabilities are viewed, and persuading society to see a person with IDD as an individual, not a disability. Oklahoma Advocates Involved in Monitoring (OK-AIM) is a program that strives to overcome some of these challenges in an effort to augment the quality of life for individuals with IDD. This is achieved by examining living situations, staff members, and supports through volunteer monitors that visit the homes of people with IDD. The purpose of this paper is to first outline the observations made by my partner and I on an OK-AIM monitoring visit, as well as comparisons between two of our mentors, or the individuals with IDD we met on our visits. Then, the topic of community living will be thoroughly applied to the life of our mentor from our second OK-AIM visit. Finally, I will reflect upon how the experiences I attained through OK-AIM have contributed to my future profession,
Introduction
Acceptance and inclusion tend to be fundamental components of what is conceptualized as a high-quality life. Within the last century, the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has changed drastically. Throughout history, mankind has failed to accept people with IDD and, as a result, they have been isolated into a world of their own. Institutions are a concrete example of this failure, as they permitted the segregation of individuals with IDD. It was not until the 1970s that the deinstitutionalization movement sparked a revolution for individuals with IDD. This movement meant that individuals with IDD would not be subjected to seclusion from the rest …show more content…
Although significant headway has occurred, many challenges remain to overcome and continue improving the lives of individual’s with IDD. Among these challenges is assuring that these individuals receive the services and supports that they need to enhance their quality of life. Perhaps the biggest challenges are altering the lens through which disabilities are viewed, and persuading society to see a person with IDD as an individual, not a disability. Oklahoma Advocates Involved in Monitoring (OK-AIM) is a program that strives to overcome some of these challenges in an effort to augment the quality of life for individuals with IDD. This is achieved by examining living situations, staff members, and supports through volunteer monitors that visit the homes of people with IDD. The purpose of this paper is to first outline the observations made by my partner and I on an OK-AIM monitoring visit, as well as comparisons between two of our mentors, or the individuals with IDD we met on our visits. Then, the topic of community living will be thoroughly applied to the life of our mentor from our second OK-AIM visit. Finally, I will reflect upon how the experiences I attained through OK-AIM have contributed to my future profession,