Quality Lives for People with Developmental Disabilities

Ravi Sarma

It was an emotional time. We wanted my 18-year-old brother, Shankar, to continue to live at home with us. But my parents were finding that lifting him, bathing him, moving him from his wheelchair to his bed were becoming more and more of a strain. The time was coming when we wouldn’t be able to give him the support and life he deserved.
 
It’s a painful decision to have a family member live elsewhere. And we found ourselves in the added dilemma that we didn’t like any of the places we had explored.
 
Then we found Richmond.
 
It was still a big transition for us all. We were used to Shankar being at home with us. But the people at Richmond were so warm, so positive in their approach to Shankar and so professional. They really cared about all the residents there and that was very comforting to us, especially for my mom.
 
We visit several times a week, and it’s wonderful to see him. It’s clear he feels “at home” at Richmond with the extraordinary people who enrich his life. They’ve made him a part of their family and made themselves a welcomed part of ours!
 
Seventeen years later, we still believe our family could not have survived without Richmond’s dedicated, round-the-clock support.
 
“It was the hardest decision we ever made – and the smartest… [Our son is now] surrounded by friends, cared for by people as if he was one of their children, so actively engaged that the smile on his face is a permanent feature of his personality…”