Comments on: Extreme measures, and then some.

By: Extreme measures, and then some. — Ballastexistenz | that Bloody Cat

Extreme measures, and then some. — Ballastexistenz | that Bloody Cat — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 17:24:21 +0000

[…] via Extreme measures, and then some. — Ballastexistenz […]

By: Andrea Shettle, MSW

Andrea Shettle, MSW — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 14:48:37 +0000

Reblogged this on Rambling Justice and commented: Worth following the link to read the whole thing--it's depressing to realize how commonplace these issues are, but also important to know because we NEED to know what's happening in order to fight against these human rights abuses. Yes, the original post is dated 2006, but unfortunately all of these things are very much still happening in 2014.

By: Shortchanging people through low expectations: Societal Edition! « Urocyon's Meanderings

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:00:32 +0000

[…] types of institutions founded on certain assumptions are prone to taking on lives of their own and defaulting to a certain type of outlook, and this will strongly influence individuals’ behavior (usually […]

By: pj

pj — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:38:26 +0000

My 1st comment apparently didn`t go through which makes my 2nd one rather meaningless so I will try to sum up my 1st comment again. I expressed looking at the link Amanda gave & was surprised to find how lovely & professional the centers looked, yet in reality they are hell. Amazing! 2nd I expressed surprise at the fact that these centers were for the most difficult care cases yet ppl sent ADD children there. I was SHOCKED! I have an ADD child but I`ve never heard of anyone sending a child w/ADD to an institution & it has never crossed my mind as a possibility to do with my own child. ADD kids can be draining to a parent but they’re our kids & ADD does not include any physical disabilities that would limit a person from functioning independently when they grow up. Most ADD ppl grow up, have their own families, and jobs so I was shocked to see that ppl put ADD kids in institutions. It was actually scary to me that ppl considered ADD kids need institutionalized. This was the 1st time I`d heard of that. 3rd I was shocked to read that JRC frankly wrote that until recent history they spanked, pinched, squirted water, used “aromaic ammonia” (I don`t know how that was used but I know ammonia is a strong dangerous chemical. I wear a mask and tell my kids to leave the room when I use it), vinegar, etc. as forms of behavior modification. They wrote that these were “effective” forms but skin shocks are more effective because in the past some patients “enjoyed” the other forms of modification. I found that disturbing. These centers take kids through adults. I don`t know any adult who would “enjoy” being spanked nor do I know any active, curious child that would “enjoy” being restrained and having vinegar put in their mouth. I found it a bit perverted that they would actually say ppl “enjoy” that kind of treatment and to write it in such a natural way that they expect anyone who reads it to understand and agree. Finally, I wrote that institutions throughout the world have a consistent history of cruelty. It seems to be human nature when you put a group of humans under the authority of other humans, a degree of humanity is lost. No longer are individuals seen as priceless individuals with individual personalities, feelings, moods, abilities, etc. This is a universal problem that I`m not so sure can be solved since humans just seem to naturally gravitate in this direction when placed in a situation like this. Therefore, I wrote that I think the solution is 1) take all measures to stay out of instituions
2) Unfortunately, there are cases where families grow old, sick or something else and can no longer care for their loved ones so an institution may become the only option left. In that case, I wrote that families just need to stay very active in their loved one`s life. I then expressed what I observed from working in a nursing home (what I should have wrote was from volunteering in a nursing home). Anyway, I noticed those who have familiy and friends steadily coming in, generally get more prompt staff attention and just the presence of visitors tends to put a shield of protection around the patient because staff know that active family members WILL notice marks, bruises, changes in the loved one`s demeanor, etc. And they will question these things. Also, my mother was a teacher and likewise she said that the students who have active parents in the school generally get better treatment than the kids whose parents seemingly don`t care. Having involved ppl in an individual`s life is a check and balance to the system.
3) Of course, advocate and report any abuse.

By: pj

pj — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:29:07 +0000

Oh, I should clarify I worked just one year as a volunteer in various nursing homes (just going around talking to and listening to residents trying to bring them a little cheer). I did not work as an employee. Also, I worked in nice private nursing homes where the care was much better, but I also visited a state nursing home once, and it was BAD (people restrained all over, bad smells from feces and urine that was not changed, people with blank looks on their faces just rocking back and forth out of boredom as opposed to the private homes where there was no smell, no restraints, and people in the halls actively engaging in conversation, but even in the good ones I saw and heard enough to know I wouldn`t want to ever be in one. The good homes did not practice abusive policies (although some residents told me of a few bad apples that had been there and threatened the lives of residents if they spoke out)but the problem I would have being in such a place is residents were told when they HAD to eat and they HAD to eat the diet prescribed to them by the dietician even if they protested, they were told when to get up, when to sleep, when to bathe, they were not free to go outside if they wanted to take a walk in the lovely weather, they were made to take medicine that I saw was used in place of a physical restraint, families were pushed heavily to sign a paper to let their loved one die without any intervention if their loved one reached a certain point (the patient was not consulted on this paper because when the patient entered the home they had to have a guardian who would make decisions on their behalf so they lost all rights to say “no” for themselves), they had to basically give up all their worldly possessions to enter a home and once they entered they would most likely never leave, many were home owners placed in the home against their consent so they had to deal with feelings of betrayal from their loved ones, etc. To me the worst part of these good homes was losing the freedom to say “I want to sleep in today” or “I would like to take a bath without someone watching me”,etc. The abusive homes, of course, have that plus so much worse. It sounds like these JRC places are the worst of all because they rob a child of their childhood and replace it with horrors that no one especially a child should have to endure. I feel very sad for anyone who has had to go to such a place. It should not be.

By: Alexander Cheezem

Alexander Cheezem — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:16:57 +0000

Just as a heads-up, the pictures in this piece appear to no longer be working. While it doesn’t take away from the value of the text, it does reduce the overall impact of the piece on any NTs who read it.

By: Autism is no excuse for child abuse « Pathways Developmental Learning Center

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:34:22 +0000

[…] have been reading a little about the Judge Rotenberge Center after seeing some posts on a blog written by a woman with autism. I am apalled. I recognize that historically people with autism (as well as other developmental […]

By: Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Phoning It In

Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Phoning It In — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:44:36 +0000

[…] writing on aversives, behavior modification, JRC, and other related topics at Ballastexistenz. This post of Amanda’s is especially informative. Feel free to add links of other writings on this in […]

By: Ratifying and Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with « We Can Do

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 23:42:46 +0000

[…] independently with the appropriate support system are instead locked up in institutions, have their teeth removed, are forcibly restrained or even murdered for “their own good.” In many countries, but […]

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 03:08:42 +0000

Amanda,

I know this is an old blog post but still I felt the need to comment. The extent of my “inmate experience” was four years at a special education school for emotionally disturbed children. If you don’t mind I’d like to share a few of the things I experienced and witnessed:

-Medical needs being intentionally denied as a means of demonstrating the authority of the teacher.

-My dislike of touch being made sport of by an administrator, who has since received a lofty promotion to principal of her own special ed center.

-Being informed that it’s right to be upset when assaulted by a fellow student, however being given no protection from assault and punished for protecting oneself.

-Holding a twelve-year-old child to the floor in a way that prevents breathing, and then ignoring that child’s pleas for air, forcing him to try desperately to get enough air to scream with.

-A thirteen-year-old girl punished with isolation for complaining that a teacher had made aggressive sexual advances at her.

-The occasional visits by local media in which the teachers and administrators would dress up their behavior with noble intentions and “progressive” impulses.

-Being told that it’s wrong to see the school officials as abusive, and that you just don’t understand what they’re doing for you, after they’ve made sport of your sensory issues and restrained you to the point of suffocation.

-Having your anger at this abuse pathologized and treated as misbehavior.

-Being informed that the administrators who treat you this way are really “on your side” and “doing what’s best for you.”

-The threat of being sent somewhere worse if you don’t shape up and accept your abuse with good humor.

Thank you if you read all this, it feels good to express that.