News and notes from Imagine! and the Imagine! Foundation.
Letting His Light Shine
Apr-09-2020
Services
In this time of uncertainty, we at Imagine! don’t want to forget that there are still lots of great things happening at our organization: amazing employees doing awesome work, people in services contributing in ways big and small, and lots of support and love from our community. We’d be doing everyone a disservice if we didn’t keep sharing these great stories.
Billy is a happy young man with a spunky personality. His laugh is contagious and his heart full of love. You may find him dancing in his room to Old Town Road, running up and down the hallways using his walker, or displaying friendly affection toward his roommates. “He’s always been an easy going and content kid, happy with what life brings him,” said Jan, Billy’s mother. A little over a year ago, Billy moved into one of Imagine!’s Group Homes in Boulder, the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome. It was a difficult decision for both Billy and his family to transition to a new home, and it’s been a year of growth while embarking on this new chapter.
Like any life changing event, the move was an emotional roller coaster for Billy and his family, and it took time for Billy to settle in. With that said, it has been incredible to see Billy make the most of his new home. 
Billy utilizes a wheelchair for majority of his mobility and is often in a sitting position. He has a walker to encourage exercise, but there wasn’t much room to use it at his home growing up. At the Group Home, the hallways are practically speedways now that Billy races back and forth in his walker, emitting a joyous laugh. “We aim for him to use the walker four times a week, but he’s in it just about every day because he loves it so much,” said Site Supervisor Shanda Kinch. Along with exercise and freedom, the walker provides a health benefit, supporting proper digestion as he positions his body upright on a consistent basis.
Billy has also been working diligently to improve his communication skills using a communication device. The device is complex, with many features and options, requiring practice to become efficient. Billy now has about seven rotating care takers and five roommates, which gives him many more opportunities to practice and explore new settings in the software. His staff are diligent with Billy, encouraging him to practice saying names as he greets people, and also to be specific when asking for help.
His communication device also gives him the ability to control his environment. With the push of a button from his wheelchair, Billy can turn on the lights in his bedroom, activate his music and TV, and even transform his room into a dance floor! “Alexa, let’s party,” Billy says using his talker and the 
pop song Old Town Road starts playing and party lights fill the room. “He loves that song, he just sits there and dances,” laughs Shanda.
While Billy has several caregivers in his life, he is also a caregiver himself. One of his roommates, Tony, is nonverbal and has a visual impairment. Tony’s ability to interact with others can be limiting, and Billy senses this. He often rolls up to Tony to let him know he is there and offer friendly affection, rubbing his back and leaning his head on Tony’s shoulder. “Those two have become good buddies,” said Shanda. Any time a shopping trip is needed or an outdoor excursion takes place, Billy and Tony go together and enjoy each other’s company. “He’s always been drawn to other people who use wheelchairs,” said Jan. “That’s why we chose this Group Home in particular, because now Billy’s roommates use wheelchairs and he likes that similarity.”
Billy learned to be a loving and compassionate fellow thanks to his upbringing. His family put a priority on respect and care, working together to meet everyone’s needs, so it is no mystery how Billy acquired his caregiving spirit.
With one year in the books in his new home, Billy continues to practice using his talker, exercise in his walker, and throw mini dance parties in his room. Most of all Billy, continues to care for and love his roommates.
