Adult Programming...Age Appropriateness

Since the SN Ministry here at SCC serves birth through adults, I have to constantly remind myself of my audience in order to plan appropriate activities. This past weekend I attended the Joni & Friends Disability Ministry Summit in Pasadena, CA. It was there that I attended a workshop by Dr. Jeff McNair and was reminded just how important it is to be age appropriate with the population we work with. It's important not just in the activities we plan but in the way we talk to people.

How we talk:

When addressing an adult with a disability, it's easy to talk down to them. We might refer to a group as kids. We might address them as "babe", "buddy", or "sweetie". While these words don't seem harmful, think about what they relay to others hearing your conversation. People around are going to pick up on the cues you're giving through your talk and they're going to make judgements. If I am visiting with an adult with Down Syndrome and say, "Hey sweetie" it implies that they are no more than a child in my eyes. I would never approach a woman in the workplace by saying "Hey sweetie". If I did, I'd probably hear about it. Why, then, should we talk to someone with a disability in that way? It's always best to use their name when in conversation (having someone know your name can mean more than anything), but when you don't know it, refer to them as you would any other adult.

Age Appropriate Activities:

Think about how the activities you have planned relate to the adults you're working with. In a typical Adult Sunday School class, would you ever find them sitting at the tables coloring on coloring pages? Would you ever find them playing with toddler toys? Absolutely not, they'd be engaged in "adult" activities. Why then, would we ask our adults with disabilities to do any different? While arts and crafts is not a bad thing to have as a part of a Sunday School Class, think about what type of crafts they're doing. There are a lot of adult appropriate crafts that can be used in place of coloring on a coloring page.

When you plan outings, keep age appropriateness in mind as well. Remember that the community sees you with the adults and will pick up on how you're treating them to determine how they will treat others with disabilities. Is it really appropriate for you to take an adult to McDonalds or would taking them to Starbucks be a little better? Again, would you suggest that a coworker meet you at McDonalds for lunch? Probably not. How much more dignity are you giving your coworker than you are your friend with a disability? Wow, that hits home.

All in all, this is stuff that I know but that I find myself not doing. It's easy to get caught up in how the world treats adults with disabilities and forget that they are worth the $5 coffee at Starbucks too.