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Jim was a person who was at first stuck in a system that failed him. It starts out that his family did not advocate for him and basically ''threw him to the wolves,'' which led to him being confided to institutions where he was poorly mistreated. That being said, Jim still hoped for better days. Jim had his own idea of what he wanted his life to look like. Jim wanted what we all want, some form of independence. While he envisioned better days, he consistently was the victim of poor treatment while institutionalized by staff and other residents. It took a visit from his parents eventually for them to finally somewhat advocate for his independence. in 1992, that finally happened for Jim. This story breaks my heart because there have been so many people in the past that have been through this abuse and never got a taste of freedom. Even today, there is still abuse against vulnerable adults. This impacts my work because I will work tirelessly to advocate for my clients by any means so that they can have their dignity and independence, and maybe not have to fight for it as much as Jim and previous people have had to.

1. I found it comforting to read that out of the 13,000 unmarked graves in Minnesota, 8,000 of them have been given grave stones. The fact that in 2010, Minnesota gave an official apology for this atrocity, shows that times have changed and the world is becoming more aware of the rights of human beings, regardless of disability, but with the absolute emphasis of disability. I also really liked that you can contact that ACT-Center for Disability Leadership to take part in remembrance ceremonies. The website states that ''...holds annual ceremonies in St. Peter, Cambridge, Fergus Falls, Rochester, Willmar, Hastings, Mosse Lake and Anoka." This really piques my interest because Anoka is really close to home for me and I was never aware of this information. I never took the time to research it, so I really appreciate that we are learning about this in class.
2. When it comes to working with other people with disabilities and fostering independence, it has always been my philosophy to enhance as much independence as possible for individuals. Regardless of one's disability, all people deserve respect and to be treated as individuals who can make their own choices. For example, I work with two men who are non verbal. I know that they cannot answer me verbally when I ask questions, but it's important to ask them because that shows them that we value their autonomy. One of my clients is able to use non verbal communication to tell me no or yes based on simple hand gestures. This is why it's important to not assume or make descisions for someone else right off the bat. Independence is crucial and we can adapt the way we communicate and work with others to find something that works for all. That being said, when we take into account living situations, I believe when it comes to someone who is a vulnerable adult, it is importat to assess needs and risk to appropriate living settings for others. If it's appropriate and safe for someone to transition to independent living, then I think it's important to communicate to the person everything that factors into independent living so they can have a say in their care and decisions. Being aware of any community resources and keeping the person an active participant in their decisions respects their autonomy.

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The story of Jims journey from being stuck in a failing system to finally achieving some level of independence is indeed heartwrenching and serves as ... View the full answer