Barb’s first home was at the State Operated Developmental Center for many years. Park Lawn Residential Manager Ellie Crumback saw Barb in that environment and noticed she was easily distracted and always anxious. She knew right away that Park Lawn could help her grow. When Barb first moved to Park Lawn Center (PLC) she became more relaxed once she had more freedom to live with the assistance of Park Lawn staff.

Barb and each resident at all Park Lawn facilities receive goals to provide better focus in daily life activities. One of the goals include working on self-medication to better know the time and color of the prescription to take. Staff also assists with goals toward a self-designed dinning plan and the understanding of money management. Many more goals are put into place for each individual that allows each resident better access to community living.

The PLC staff quickly realized that Barb was improving with her goals of setting the table, cleaning, making her lunch and improving her self-medication routine. When an opening at Park Lawn Home (PLH) was made available, Barb was placed at the top of the list to move.

At PLH, she loves to be busy and do things for others. Park Lawn Home Manager Bonnie Laurencell explained that Barb is still working on her goals, but improving in good time. She enjoys joking around with staff and her friends enjoy her humorous addition to the house. She does not talk too much, but she can say “Hi”, her name and knows quite a bit of sign language. Even though she is normally quiet, she loves the microphone during PLH karaoke night. She enjoys coloring, manicures, playing dominoes and simply living life.

Barb looks forward to many more years at Park Lawn Home and hopes to one day move onto the next step in residential living at a Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA). Park Lawn has seven CILA’s throughout the Chicago South Suburbs. If you have any questions about any of Park Lawn’s nine residential facilities, please contact Park Lawn at info@parklawn.com or visit www.parklawn.com.