Program helps severely disabled adults engage in activities

As a visitor talks to his mother, Michelle, across the kitchen table, Justin Rose sits quietly. He says not a word, but his toothpaste-commercial smile continually brings light to his handsome face.

"He understands everything you're saying," Michelle Rose says.

But Justin doesn't join in the conversation. That's because he can't. He was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair and needs help with the details of life that are mundane -- even automatic -- for most of us.

"He's smart, but very physically dependent for all of his needs," his mother says.

Justin's family moved to Las Vegas in 2009, and until June he attended Shadow Ridge High School. But he turned 22 this month, which makes him too old for that program. For many people in Justin's situation, the future would likely be bleak.

"They probably stay at home with their parents, or go to a nursing home for probably day care," says Vicki Wesley, Pride program manager at Opportunity Village. In many cases, "when they stay home with their parents, they're not moving enough. They might stay in the wheelchair all day, or in bed," she notes.

But since June, Justin has been one of the 40 members of the Pride program, the name of which is an acronym for People's Rights to Independence, Dignity and Equality. And that's what the program provides.

"Pride is a place for mentally challenged, somewhat medically fragile individuals who have gone as far in high school as they can," Wesley says. "Here, we make sure they have meaningful days."

Those meaningful days are offered at Opportunity Village campuses at 6300 W. Oakey Blvd. and 6050 S. Buffalo Drive. (Justin used to attend the Buffalo program, but since it is so far from the family's northeast valley home, he now attends Oakey). Sometimes they entail staying on campus and going to the gym for sports such as basketball or kickball or activities such as wheelchair dancing, or riding on the carousel that Opportunity Village primarily uses for its annual holiday Magical Forest. With a 2-to-1 staff-to-participant ratio, Pride employees are able to provide a great deal of physical support.

"He likes Wii bowling," Wesley says of Justin. "And he likes arts and crafts, hand-over-hand. Painting, colored pencils, sketching things, coloring. We guide his hand. He loves to play Kerplunk!"

Music is a big part of the program, with participants, who range in age from 22 to about 60, joining in with simple instruments such as bells, drums and maracas.

"Today we found that he likes to try to move to the beat of Richard Simmons," Wesley says. "We did a little exercise today."

To celebrate Elvis' birthday, staff members decorated sunglasses, attached long sideburns, put them on their charges and took photos to send home with them. During Mardi Gras week each year there's a big celebration, including a parade at the Buffalo campus.

"We make floats, we dress them up," Wesley says. "It's a big deal. Every department participates, but it's really put on by Pride. We pride ourselves in overseeing that event."

There's pet therapy, with Justin particularly fond of the four Chihuahuas that visit weekly. As is the case with many activities, he pets the dogs with the assistance of an aide guiding his hand.

And then there are the outings in the community. Wesley says the group likes to go to the Silverton to see the huge fish tank, to the MGM Grand to see the lions, to Bellagio to see the conservatory.

"They like the colors," Wesley says of the latter. "They just like the overall walking around. Especially at Bellagio, they're helpful. They show us where to park and give us easy access."

Another big hit, she notes, was a recent visit to Anderson Dairy that included samples of ice cream.

Sometimes they just visit the various programs at Opportunity Village to see what else is going on on campus.

"A lot of them are familiar with other people who work around us in other departments, so they're familiar with voices and sounds," Wesley says. "That makes them happy."

And although the program is for people who are profoundly mentally disabled, the staff does know what makes them happy.

"We can tell," Wesley says. "They make noises, their facial expressions. They're joyful noises, and in the event that they're not happy, they will let us know that, too."

Sometimes Justin will say words, or raise a hand, Rose notes.

A highlight of the program for him, she says, is the Big Button, a large, circular recording device.

"We can record in the morning the things he did the night before and he can share them with his peers," she says.

When he's at Opportunity Village, the staff records his activities in the first person, from his viewpoint. In that way, Rose says, "he tells me what he did during the day. He loves that."

Being new to services for disabled adults because of Justin recently reaching the youth-program age limit, Rose says she was surprised that adults aren't grouped by ages.

Then again, she expresses appreciation that Justin received a scholarship to attend Pride. He has a caregiver, Shauna Butler, but since both Rose and Justin's stepfather, John Wise, are employed, Pride helps ensure that Justin's days are full.

In many places, Wesley says, "they wouldn't have all the opportunities we provide for them. Being able to come to Pride gives them the opportunity to be happy and enjoy life."

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.