Services For People with Disabilities

Denise Griffith sounds like your average 22-year-old. She works two jobs, lives in an apartment with two other roommates and hates the sound of the alarm. Denise is also preparing for a graduation of sorts, but that is where her story becomes more than just average.

Denise is currently enrolled in daily supported community living, a program providing up to 24 hours of support from staff in Lutheran Services in Iowa's (LSI) services for people with disabilities program. Soon, she will graduate to hourly supported community living, which entails less supervision and more independence for Denise.

"The LSI staff are awesome, really helpful, funny and weird," Denise said of her experience in the program.

Denise has Asperger syndrome, a condition that makes it difficult for Denise to interact socially. People with Asperger syndrome also struggle with maintaining schedules and routines.

Since 2005, Denise has been receiving LSI assistance in areas such as budgeting, chores, hygiene, coping, and of course, waking up to that alarm in time to get to work.

"I didn't think I would keep a job this long," she said. But Denise has been with Hy-Vee grocery for almost five years and ISU Veterinary Medicine for almost one year.

Denise has had success outside the workplace, as well. In her first year of swimming in the Special Olympics, she won a gold medal in the 400-meter relay and a bronze in the 25-meter freestyle.

"I didn't think I would win anything my first time," Denise said, "but I did."

It just goes to show you can't underestimate Denise. She only has one more feat to tackle before she moves on to hourly supported community living: taking her medications on schedule on her own.

"That's the last thing I have to do before hourly," Denise said. And although she downplays the magnitude of her accomplishments so far, the excitement for the next step is evident in her voice.

As for her goals in the hourly program, Denise plans to move to a new apartment with only one roommate. Eventually, she wants to own her own house. For now, though, she is glad to continue working with LSI, and she is thankful for the independence the staff have helped her obtain.

"I think the staff are sweet," Denise said. "They are my friends and my helpers. I love LSI."