What is it like to work with people who have mental retardation?
December 9th, 2007
Author with personal experience - Jessica Sneed from Pittsburgh, PA
I have been working with the MH/MR population for the last 9 years. I work with people that have a range of so called physical and mental disabilities. In my job I work on social and cognitive skills as well as community integration with my clients. I went into this job not knowing what to expect and instead of me teaching them they teach me. I had a client whose goal was to learn about presidential facts however he taught me more presidential trivia than I could ever teach him. Another client was very interested in having the Bible read to him, the ensuing discussions that followed proved that he was more the biblical scholar than I. Some of my clients congnitive difficulties impare their speech yet they are able to make their wants/needs understood by head nods, blinking eyes, sounds etc… This has taught me that there are various forms of communication. One of my clients was extremly intelligent but most people were unaware because they did not give him the two extra minutes he needed to respond to quesions which taught me to be more patient. Through the many lessons my clients have taught me the main one is don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Entry Filed under: What is it like?
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