Wheelchair-bound Life

Acrylic-marking pen Picture by Tomasito's Creative Workshop

Most of the residents at the care home where Tomasito's Creative Workshop meets are wheelchair-bound.

Life for these adults (There are no children or young people) is circumscribed by the limits of the long central hallway, their shared small resident's rooms (usually two residents per room), the exercise room and the large dining room/activities room. All of the residents receive 24 hour medical care, medications, physical therapy and counseling. They are fed, bathed, changed, dressed and groomed with haircuts, fingernail care and so forth.

There is easy access to television, games, etc. for all--as well as weekly religious services and occasional professional entertainment and seasonal parties.

The few ambulatory residents are variously physically or mentally challenged so all external doors are alarmed or constantly watched for the resident's safety.

Caring for the residents is a business. All the official care personnel are hourly or contract employees--all have the qualifying levels of documented skills for their function. The facility is kept scrupulously clean and all the employees are polite and smiling. It is a business.

So it is.

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