Easterseals Gives Ellice Purpose
By Natalie Scott
Around the halls of Easterseals, she is known as Boss Lady. Ellice, who attends the Easterseals adult day program, is aptly named. She earned her nickname because she is the first to welcome participants each day and enjoys keeping everyone organized and included.
“I really like it at Easterseals and look forward to coming here. Easterseals feels like my family now. I have a community here and friends. They take good care of me and help me do things. Easterseals helps me to be in the community.” Ellice says. “I need Easterseals, and it would be uncomfortable without it because you get bored in the house doing nothing and being like a couch potato.”
Ellice attended a senior center but wanted to feel more engaged in her community, so she joined Easterseals’ day program for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities in Newark. Now, with daily support from her Direct Support Professional (DSP), she attends the program five days a week, is developing independent living skills, and is building meaningful friendships.
“I believe coming to Easterseals gives Ellice purpose. Easterseals is her world. I’m just happy to be a part of that.” Easterseals Program Supervisor, Marti, says. “She wanted to get out into the community, and that’s what Easterseals makes sure she achieves. We build that bridge of trust with our participants. We let them know we are here for them.”
One of her favorite activities with Easterseals is delivering Meals on Wheels to seniors and serving meals in the community, including some she knew from the senior center. She loves visiting the farmers’ market, the library, and going out to lunch. She also enjoys trips to Michael’s, where she works on her money-management goals by purchasing beads for her bracelet-making business.
“Marti helps me achieve my goals,” Ellice says. “One of my goals is money management. And that way I can learn more about how to spend the money wisely out in the community.”
DSPs, like Marti, collaborate with participants to help them achieve personal goals and work toward greater independence. This is especially important for participants, like Ellice, who live in group homes. Since Ellice’s parents passed away, she does not have natural family support. For DSPs, it’s more than just checking boxes; it’s about fostering independence, creating a sense of belonging, and helping people to engage meaningfully in their community.
“It feels good to know that you can make someone feel loved, wanted, and accepted. It’s very rewarding for me. It is a job you leave at the end of the day feeling like you have made someone successful. You give someone comfort that they may not receive once they leave here,” Marti says. “To work at Easterseals is to be the highlight of someone’s day. You are that personal contact, that happiness.”
Easterseals services are comprehensive and individualized to meet each participant’s needs, family-focused to address each family member’s concerns, and aimed at enhancing independence. Easterseals offers a variety of day program services for adults with intellectual disabilities to keep participants engaged in their community. Choices include a Life-Skills program, Pre-vocational Services, and Supported Employment Services for participants seeking a community job with competitive wages.
For more information about Easterseals Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Services, call 302-324-4444 or [email protected].
Easterseals has locations throughout Delaware. Please visit the website to see all local services for people of all ages and abilities: eastersealsDeMd.org.
100 Enterprise Place, Suite 1, Dover, DE 19904
699 South Carter Road, Suite 3, Smyrna, DE 19977
61 Corporate Circle, New Castle, DE 19720
302-324-4444
Please visit our website and see all of our services for people of all ages and abilities www.EastersealsDeMd.org
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