People

A Lifetime Of Meaningful Support

Stories Communitas Supportive Care Society A Lifetime Of Meaningful Support

Audrey is remembered as feisty and determined as well as sweet and kind. Although she could not speak and was nearly blind, she knew how to advocate for herself and let people know how she was feeling. Dan Penner managed one of the homes in which she lived before she passed away earlier this year.

“She had an amazing smile and she would tap her chin to indicate that she was having a good time,” Dan says. “If you sat with her and gave Audrey your hand, she would squeeze it and pull it up towards her head so you could rub her hair. It was a sign that she trusted you.”

While Dan had the privilege of getting to know Audrey towards the end of her life, she was supported by Communitas for nearly three decades.

A New Way of Living

Audrey (back left) and her roommates, Susan, Rosalee, and Debbie

Audrey and Communitas began their relationship in 1992. She was one of four women who came out of an institutional context and into a home in community. Communitas (then called MCC Supportive Care Society) was one of several organizations that helped people transition during the 1980s and 1990s when the provincial government began a multi-year process called “deinstitutionalization”. Several large institutions closed and people returned to their home communities to live in smaller, more personal homes. The process was a result of a change in philosophy of support for people with developmental disabilities; a shift from custodial care and confinement to personal choice and inclusion, and the belief that people with disabilities deserve to be treated with love and dignity.

There are still a few staff people at Communitas who were part of that transition. Jonathan Goertz led the process of preparing the home in which Audrey and her house mates would live. He also trained the staff who welcomed the four women in their new home. He remembers well how challenging it was for Audrey and others coming out of institution and feels strongly that their stories must be preserved, particularly for those who, like Audrey, were non-verbal.

Audrey loved to go swimming and had a chance to swim with dolphins on a trip to California

“Audrey’s story would be lost otherwise because the only voice she has is through us,” he says. “She gives us a sense of our roots and validates that what we have done and are doing for the people we support has value. Knowing Audrey for 30 years, I have observed how she has been enveloped into a community in ways she would never have experienced had she stayed in an institutional setting.”

Challenges and Opportunities

Jonathan remembers the challenges and opportunities of assisting people to move from an institution in to a new home. Both BC Housing and licensing bodies had specific requirements for the physical living space, everything from flooring and railings, to how bathrooms and kitchens were set up. This was easier to do when a home was built from scratch then when an existing home had to be renovated to meet these needs. It was important to train staff in terms of practical tools like first aid and even more important that staff learned the values of Gentle Teaching and person-centred care.

“We had to learn to understand the behaviours that might be present as a result of years of living in institution,” he says. “We had to remember that people coming from institution were vulnerable and had had no one to advocate for them. We were given the wonderful opportunity to show new ways of caring, to show people that they had a voice and that they were loved and valued as equal human beings.”

Being outside in the garden brought Audrey great joy

Tracy Wiebe Reimer was part of the first group of people who welcomed Audrey and her housemates to their new home. She has vivid memories of going to Woodlands for training and the dread she felt when she entered this site. She also remembers Jonathan’s training and the example he set for all of the staff as the women came home.

“Jonathan literally freed people from their bonds; the cloth straps, the wheelchairs, all the tools that were used to hold them back,” she remembers. “Instead, they were given the freedom they needed to safely move around and just live in their new home. And they did it!”

A trip to the game farm was one of many outings Audrey enjoyed

Tracy also remembers the gentle and patient care that Jonathan demonstrated and instilled in the young staff. She also remembers Audrey for her sense of humour and her strength of character.

“I give her a lot of credit for adapting to a different home, different care providers, a new and diverse set of activities, and even food that she’d never experienced before,” she says. “She was a feisty, determined lady and I admired her.”

A Life Well Lived

People who knew Audrey at the end of her life share many of these same sentiments. Aruna Masih manages the home where Audrey spent her final days. Audrey had only been there for a few months, yet she quickly won the hearts of those who cared for her.

A special trip to go to and hear Phantom of the Opera

“She loved listening to worship music and many of the staff enjoyed singing with her,” Arunah says. “We will miss the way she loved staying warm and cozy, covering herself with blankets. We miss her smile but we know she is now dancing and singing in heaven.”

Hearing from current and former staff and sharing the memories of Audrey as she came to be a part of Communitas brings Jonathan a deep sense of satisfaction, knowing that Communitas has helped give people a place to practice their gifts and abilities and creating a place that is home for others and developing a sense of true belonging for people.

“Seeing how well and meaningfully we have supported people all these years gives me a deep sense of personal satisfaction,” he says. “I see that I have truly made a difference in the lives of those being supported and in the quality of the staff who give this support. Communitas has given me the perfect opportunity to do this and I am grateful.”