“Emily can be quiet. You know, she can just quietly mind her business, and you may not pay attention to her. So, to have people that are interested in keeping her engaged and involving her, that’s the number one thing that I want.”
Scott’s daughter, Emily, began her journey with Hattie Larlham when she graduated high school several years ago. Of that transition time, Scott said, “Our family was really exploring, like, ‘where does she go next?’ We started touring places and fortunately the Excel program in Westerville was on our list.” Scott went on to say how everything about the program aligned with his and his wife’s requirements for day programs, especially knowing that Emily is on the quiet side and would need a special place to help bring her out of her shell. “It was just a great fit. The people, the location, the place, really gave us the next step in Emily’s journey. Within days, she had friends, she had people who were looking out for her. She had people who cared about her, genuinely cared about her.” Through the Excel program, Emily is able to fully customize her experience by selecting her daily activities from a curated quarterly catalog of options. Each day is something new and she’s given the opportunity to make her choices from a wide selection of offerings. Scott was almost in awe as he reiterated, “She has four, five, six choices for every single day of the week."
Emily has now been attending Excel for several years, but recently she and her family have taken a big step in increasing her independence as a young adult. “It evolved,” Scott said, “As Emily has grown, her needs have changed and I really saw, for me and my family, it became more where we were spending a lot of our time being Emily’s care provider and not as much time being her siblings, or her dad, or her mom. And so, home life was kind of hectic.” It was this realization that led Scott and his wife to begin searching for a supported living home where Emily could thrive with socialization and independence while still having all her care needs met by trained professionals. Once they met with the Hattie Larlham residential services staff and toured Emily’s prospective home, the family was confident that it was the perfect fit for Emily. “You know, someone told me once that no 22-year-old girl wants to live at home with her parents,” Scott shared. “And Emily is the same way. We don’t always think about that because of her needs, but it’s true."
We asked Scott to talk a little more about Emily’s journey with Hattie Larlham and what the pieces of that puzzle look like as a complete picture. Scott paused for a moment, getting a little choked up, and shared something straight from the heart. “When we were exploring our options for Emily, my wife and I had five boxes we wanted to check off. Hattie Larlham checked six.” Scott, more than many, sees that “sixth box”, the special x-factor that makes Hattie Larlham truly stand out among disability providers, as it shines through in every experience he and his family have had at Hattie Larlham. “The key, especially with someone with special needs, is the people and ‘Are they caring? Are they attentive?’ But it’s got to be more than that, it’s got to be the culture. Because I’ve had the same experience here at the day program, I’ve had the same experience at the Center up in Mantua for a respite stay, and I’m having it now in the supported living program. So it can’t be coincidence that I’ve been involved with three different Hattie programs and just got lucky that all the people are amazing. It’s been comforting to see that she gets that, that she’s loved.”
After her move this fall, Emily has settled into her supported living home and continues to thrive every day. Excel provides her countless opportunities to engage through classes, programs, and activities that she may not otherwise have access to. And she is able to enjoy those things surrounded by a community of friends and staff who support and nurture her through it all. Emily’s story is just one of hundreds like it that demonstrates the power of engagement and building community. Hattie Larlham is proud to provide these opportunities to families throughout Ohio, which are only possible because of donor and community support. Every dollar raised at Hattie Larlham helps create priceless stories of success and gratitude like Scott’s and Emily’s, and we are deeply grateful. Consider making a special year-end gift today and know that your generosity will make a lasting impact in the lives of many.