Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Linda’s Second Chance
When Linda first came to live at Lindsay Home, she was 57 years old, overweight with graying hair, and rather timid. She had always stayed at home and taken care of her brother and had never had a job or much of a social life. She began working at a local work shop and quickly began to make friends with her housemates as well as with her co-workers at the work shop. Through Lindsay Home’s exercise program at the local Wellness Center, Linda began to exercise regularly and decided she wanted to lose some weight. She received education on healthy eating at the group home and began to decrease her portion sizes and make healthier food choices. As she began to make friends, lose weight, and do fun activities, Linda began to blossom. She did so well in her work at the work shop that she moved into the Supported Employment program there and was offered a job at a local restaurant. She accepted the job and has done so well that she has become an indispensable employee and has already received a pay increase. She has lost 22 pounds and bought a complete new wardrobe, colored her hair and now participates in Special Olympics bocce, basketball, volleyball and bowling. Linda is known as “Sunshine” by her co-workers because she always has a smile on her face and a sunny disposition. Because she has done so well in her job, Linda has been able to not only buy a new wardrobe, but also a TV for her room, a DVD/VCR player, an IPOD, a birth stone ring she had always wanted, and many other things she never thought she would have. Linda is a true Lindsay Home success story.