Could it be that those diagnosed with autism actually have heavier brains and more neurons than those without the condition?  This could be just the tip of the iceberg into determining causes and treatments to help some very special people!  Read here to learn more… you decide.

*This week’s blog was written by guest blogger, Beth Lewis, Director of  Community Supports of ARC Marion.
When we tell stories of people with developmental disabilities, they usually end up being something about money. That’s really unfortunate when the subject of money also has something to do with someone’s life. Stories about funding in the human [...]

 …but I never really knew just how much until now. For a few years, I have talked about Florida Medicaid waiver funding and specifically how Florida ranks 50th out of the nation in funding for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I complain and fuss about how ashamed I am that these special people aren’t [...]

Today we have a guest blog from the Community Supports Director, Beth Lewis.  Beth is sharing about Companion services at ARC Marion, Inc
A service like Companion is described in the Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA)/ Department of Children and Families (DCF) Handbook as, “non-medical care, supervision and socialization activities provided to an adult on a [...]

I had the wonderful opportunity to spend a week in Tennessee with my family over the Holidays.  It was the first time I had seen my sister in over a year.  She doesn’t travel, and the birth of a new child in our home put a damper on our travel plans for a while as [...]

My office phone rang yesterday afternoon just a little after 4 o’clock, and  it took me and the receptionist off guard.  In the many years I have known the caller who happened to be a client at ARC Marion, he has never actually picked up the phone and called me.  I see Terry often.  He [...]

In talking with a client’s mother the other day I realized something that is lacking for families of the developmentally and intellectually disabled- a child-sitting network.  I don’t want to use the word “babysitting,” because the children needing to be looked after are essentially all adults.
I’ve mentioned before how my family used to take vacations [...]

For the third straight year ARC Marion client artwork will be featured in the children’s workshop area of the Fine Arts for Ocala Fall Arts Festival.  Ever since we started putting art in the exhibit, the developmentally disabled clients at ARC Marion have been so excited to work on projects all year long in hopes [...]

As a little burst of cool air came through Florida this week, I began to think of how much I love and miss really seeing the seasons change.  It also caused me to reminisce of how people seem to come in and out of your life for seasons, too.  One such person that came to [...]

All of the clients who attend ARC Marion are fascinating and unique individuals.  I would like to focus on one remarkable lady who is intellectually disabled and legally blind.  I’ve always heard that if you are lacking in one of your five senses, then all of your others are magnified.  I would definitely say that [...]

When working daily with the developmentally disabled you see a wide array of successes and challenges.  We know there are some cases where an individual’s level of care and quality of life gets better, but to an outsider it may appear that no real success is occurring.  However, there are many examples individuals whose lives [...]

Facebook is a phenomenon I can’t quite put into words.  You can learn more than you ever wanted to about people.  I have to admit I’ve become a “Facebook stalker” at times, checking in on status updates of any of a number of my 700+ friends.  (That’s not to brag, but you get to know [...]

My sister is developmentally disabled.  She is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, mental retardation and autism, but the last of these diagnoses has not always been a part of her life—something I only came to remember in the past few weeks.  Here’s my autism story.
It was late in the 1980s when the movie, Rain Man, came [...]

This week, my sister turned 32-years-old.  It’s quite difficult to believe that the little girl I once took care of on a regular basis is all grown up now.  However, since I, too, am getting older, it only seems appropriate.  At times it’s just hard to imagine those with developmental disabilities getting older.  You see, [...]

As a child growing up with a special needs sister it wasn’t always easy to travel.  My parents tried, mind you, to take us to Disney or to the beach or even to family reunions just a few hours away, but as my sister got older and more set in her ways, traveling became more [...]

For the past eight months, I’ve been writing about everything from my own personal experiences growing up with a developmentally disabled sister to other people far off and their decisions.    I’ve talked about how thankful I am to have healthy children, and what people who have children with disabilities should do in the form of [...]

Right on the heels of the famed Kentucky Derby and hearing just how many of our Ocala born, bred or trained horses competed in the event, you have to understand that our little Ocala community is a pretty unique place.  We’re called the horse capital of the world, because there are nearly 1,000 horse farms [...]

Tuesday’s post was about holding children back that are born with disabilities.  I don’t quite get it, really.  I suppose I can understand the protective nature of parents wanting to keep their children from harm and uncertainty, possibly shielding them from ridicule and pain.  However, isn’t that real life?  It doesn’t make it any easier, [...]

We are working on some new literature at ARC Marion that will hopefully tell and show what we do.  The motto for some time has been Clients First! And we are keeping it.  Our Web site portrays it best with red exclamation points literally all over the site.  However, we have never allowed it to [...]

A blog post last week mentioned a basketball encounter my husband had at our local YMCA where he stood up for a fellow player who had special needs.  I received a lot of comments from people I know who had read the blog and heard the story, but one email in particular came from someone [...]

 I don’t know if you want to call it ironic or a coincidence (which I don’t much believe it either) that just a few short weeks ago in this blog I was talking about our government leaders starting to understand our fight to advocate for individuals with special needs.  Just two days prior to that, [...]

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m an American Idol junkie.  Since midway through season 1 I’ve literally been hooked every January through June.  My husband has only been with me through the last five seasons and isn’t into music like I am, so he thinks I’m nuts.  I have, however, gotten his parents [...]

A Knocking Success
On a quarterly basis, the boards of directors for ARC Marion and the Heart of Florida Hope Foundation receive success story reports for clients at ARC.  Each time I read them, I’m amazed.  I’m not surprised by how wonderfully the staff adapts and adjusts to each individual client’s needs, because the people who [...]

…A question so appropriately asked recently by one of the ARC program directors.  With tears in her eyes she continued, “For all these years we’ve been telling our folks that they could make choices.  If they want to attend ADT (adult day training) today, they can.  If they want to go out on enclave (a [...]

When someone passes away, there is a void left where he or she once was.  When that person has special needs, there is a little different feeling.  People with developmental disabilities need added, extra care and support throughout their lives.  Picture raising a five-year-old child who stays five for 60 years or more, and that’s [...]

For the past five years, during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, my husband, children and I have taken to the air or the roads to visit family.  We rotate between Tennessee and Pennsylvania for the specific holiday, and each year we go to each location.  This year was our year to be in Tennessee for [...]

I still remember the day when my sister moved out.  Well, I guess I remember more the night before, because I never really knew what kind of impact it would have on me, nor did the 10 or so friends of mine who were with me, spending the night at a fellow cheerleader’s house, the [...]

The other day, I had the wonderful opportunity to tour one of our community’s sometimes hidden gems.  But what I left with were more questions in my own mind than answers.  The local county public school system has a wonderful school devoted solely to those with developmental disabilities.  Students range in age from the sixth [...]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen more joy on the faces of the clients at ARC Marion than I do when they are told what kind of good things they are doing in the community.  In October, when they collected new pajamas and books for homeless children in Marion County, they were overjoyed to help.  [...]

During the Elegant Evening of Thanks event held on Friday, November 20, I had the privilege to stand before the crowd over nearly 240 people and share about the clients at ARC Marion.  My words. My heart. I thought I would recount my words here in print for anyone else who might be interested…
“The clients [...]

I had the privilege a few weeks ago to hear a touching story as told by Bill Gaither, acclaimed southern gospel writer, performer and founder of the Gaither Homecoming concerts that is sweeping the nation.  I have since received permission from the William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys about whom the story was [...]

OK I’m going to say it.  John Travolta and Kelly Preston are just like me.  They call Marion County, Florida home, and so do I.  O.K. we aren’t neighbors (have you seen the layout of their house in Jumbolair?), and I haven’t seen them in Starbucks or Cold Stone Creamery or Target like I’ve heard [...]

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Boca Raton with my friend, Toni James.  During our trip, my six degrees of separation from the developmentally disabled concept was further solidified when she mentioned to me a story about her cousin.  This delightful woman named Katherine lives in Connecticut and is developmentally disabled.  Eight or nine years [...]