Not only are many persons in nursing homes ignored but those in the MR population in Texas are denied a real life too. Who wants to be herded around with 3 or 4 others whereever you go?

Who wants to be required to go to a state daycare where there is no teaching or training and where many people sleep away their days? At least once in Texas there was an initiative to transition people who wanted a better life back into the community.

However, those with mental retardation, autism and the like are getting less and less chance to transition into the community where they can work and there's money to support that work opportunity. And, people in agencies, where is the money to give people the chance to go to the store alone to buy a dress or a man to buy a shirt.

I have seen people working in huge agencies for the mentally retarded with a list like santa claus and saying, "Let's see, John, needs a shirt. What color do you think he would like?"

"Jane needs a bra...what size did you say she is?"

So where is choice, where is self-determination, where is money following the person, where is a real LIFE?