I am now a CNA! Anyone here work with MRDD residents/patients?

yousoldtheworld · Aug 20, 2010

Yes! I work at a home for severely developmentally disabled kids (though there are quite a few adults there too, age-wise, though physically and mentally they are essentially just like kids).

I absolutely adore it, and after working here, I never want to go back to a regular nursing home. It's a lot different than geriatrics.

It's the most rewarding work I've ever done. For one, those people really need you. I always found at nursing homes, you always had a few residents that really didn't need much help but always wanted to take advantage of you, using their call lights to ask you to fluff their pillows or scoot a cup over when they could easily do that themselves. With the MRDD residents, you know you are really needed.

Another benefit is, we don't have call lights! The residents would not be able to use them physically or understand how to use them. This means you can actually focus on what you're doing, whether it's showering, cleaning up a mess, etc. without having 80 lights going off and people wanting stupid things.

Another difference is that they typically do a lot more. Most of our kids go to school, or if they are already graduated or adults, they go to a workshop on the weekdays.

There are challenges, too. They are all total care residents, incontinent, most are unable to walk, etc. Their disabilities affect the way their bodies are shaped and can move, and sometimes they are more difficult to position, roll, transfer, etc.

Working with these residents takes a lot of heart and patience, but if you are interested in it and able, I could not recommend it enough. You will fall in love with those residents, and most are honestly just so happy to get a little affection and attention, you don't have the same kind of combative and hateful residents you get in a regular nursing home. That's not to say that these residents are NEVER combative, but generally there are fewer who are, and they don't KNOW any better.

To get into this kind of work, first I would look up "Children's Homes" on google see if there are any in your area. I know there are some spread all over the country. I work at one in Indiana. You could also search for group homes. If you don't have any luck, you could call your state board of health or email and ask if there are any facilities around specializing in MRDD.

Good luck. It takes a special person to want to work with these residents. I can't recommend it enough. :)

yousoldtheworld · Aug 20, 2010

I meant to add, if you don't mind telling me where you live, I could look and see if the corporation that runs my facility has any near you. They have facilities in several states. If you'd like me to check, just send me a message and let me know where you live. Or, if you just have any specific questions about the job itself. :)

lilbearzmom · Aug 20, 2010

I meant to add, if you don't mind telling me where you live, I could look and see if the corporation that runs my facility has any near you. They have facilities in several states. If you'd like me to check, just send me a message and let me know where you live. Or, if you just have any specific questions about the job itself. :)

Thanks for your terrific insight! I am in Ohio.

yousoldtheworld · Aug 20, 2010

I looked and while my company doesn't have any in Ohio, I found this:

Welcome to The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities

If you go to the "Residential Resources" link at the top, it leads you to a pdf of the different facilities and group homes in OH that are licensed to care for the DD. Here's a link to the pdf. There is contact information on there for each of them. :) It also has the capacity of each on there, so you can tell if it's a facility or a group home. (And notice that it is 132 pages long, and is sorted by county.)

http://odmrdd.state.oh.us/residential/docs/lci.pdf

Tamimac · Oct 24, 2010

Hello! I have worked with MR/DD clients for 5+ years in-home care as a Respite Caregiver- the pay was better than work as an HHA. My experience was/is a positive one, as I still work "on-call" for an organization. I have had mild/moderate MR cases in NY (where I'm from) that were quite easy and compatible to my personality- we became friends. Now that I'm in NC and back in the MR/DD field I have had Autistic children and adults, children and adults with CP, and 1 severe/profound MR adult male. These cases require HHA/PCA duties and even CNA skills, except it's not a job requirement. *Training is! Although, I do enjoy it- the pay is lousy >$10.00 hour and this "Org" offers me no set schedule. In NY I had a schedule 20-25 hours or more and was paid by my level of education (I have a BA degree) YOU will need to undergo training and in-service to work with people with disabilities- and seek out organizations or state agencies that pay well. *A WORD OF CAUTION- IF you are planning to stay and be a CNA- you must hold a position as a CNA and be on salary as a CNA to keep your name on the state registry. So plan to be hired as a CNA at an agency or organization- the pay should be better too. All the best!

Sally Lou · Oct 24, 2010

I worked as an assistant teacher at a residental school with kids (up to 22 yrs old) with various disablitys. I have ALOT of training.(ie: seizure, oxygen use, med's, g-tube, first aid and cpr) that i got through them.

It can be a very stressful job. The classroom/house i worked in was the most medically involved. We had 3 kids in wheelchairs. It can be very difficult emotionally when you know the situations the kids come from sometimes. It's also very physically demanding.

It is very rewarding work and you feel like you're really helping them.