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Abcd Reflection

Adrian Medina reflects on his internship at Misericordia, a facility that cares for residents with disabilities. He observed that Misericordia takes an asset-based approach, focusing on residents' strengths and abilities rather than limitations. Staff are diverse and work collectively to engage residents through different activities. Misericordia also leverages local universities and physical spaces on its campus. While acknowledging deficits that require attention, like physical or intellectual limits, Misericordia creates an environment that considers both assets and limits of residents and staff. Through this internship, Medina has gained insight into analyzing assets and deficits when working with vulnerable populations.

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187 views4 pages

Abcd Reflection

Adrian Medina reflects on his internship at Misericordia, a facility that cares for residents with disabilities. He observed that Misericordia takes an asset-based approach, focusing on residents' strengths and abilities rather than limitations. Staff are diverse and work collectively to engage residents through different activities. Misericordia also leverages local universities and physical spaces on its campus. While acknowledging deficits that require attention, like physical or intellectual limits, Misericordia creates an environment that considers both assets and limits of residents and staff. Through this internship, Medina has gained insight into analyzing assets and deficits when working with vulnerable populations.

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© © All Rights Reserved
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Medina 1

Adrian Medina

Prof. Miller

EXPL 390 02E

29 March 2020

ABCD Reflection

While being in my position as an intern at Misericordia, I’ve grappled with what ideals

the leadership there was operating with. Although I cannot speak on what the organization does

in its entirety, I can speak on the leadership of the Personal Effectiveness Program within

Misericordia especially after interviewing the director about what her ideals and priorities as a

leader are. I have gotten the opportunity to analyze how the specific department of Misericordia

operates in terms of how they base approaches with residents on both their strengths as well as

their limitations. Through my experience, I have also managed to develop an understanding of

the structure in the microcosm that is encapsulated within the Misericordia’s vast campus. I have

also gotten to reflect on how what I’ve learned has impacted how I may emphasize assets and

deficits based on their relevant value.

Misericordia has upkept its commitment to the residents that have gotten as far as

growing up within its facilities in that they are all treated as functional individuals as well as

being met with an approach that values their humanity. Utilizing the components set by the asset-

based community development (ABCD) model, Misericordia has tactfully benefited from

intangible assets, individuals, institutions, and physical space. The organization has and

continues to appreciate the diversity in its staff and its residents; the culture of the organization is

one that embraces everyone, being inclusive of their ability and experience. During my time in

the facility, I have gotten to see first-hand how diverse the workforce is there as well as how the
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diversity translates in a multitude of unique approaches used to engage the residents—each being

beneficial in very different ways. This also ties into the component of the individual, with respect

to the ABCD model, because Misericordia is home to an expansive population of staff, both in

literal numbers as well as experience. All of the staff is always prepared, and actually encourage

one another to work collectively in assisting residence. Their ability to organize and adapt

quickly makes them a tremendous asset to the community of residents in Misericordia; I could

see this drive for collective action during my time in PEP. All of the staff were always very

cooperative with one another when coordinating tasks, and they were all even more flexible

when having to re-coordinate plans based on needs. I can also see how they value the individual

residents themselves because they are the reason why staff look forward to coming into work;

the residents are valued for their person, and staff work hard to emphasize their strengths, so the

residents are always conscious of how wonderful they actually are. Misericordia makes great use

of Loyola University Chicago, as an institution, when it comes to obtaining new interns and new

volunteers that all help drive various programming across its campus. The university being the

asset because it provides the organization with individuals who are passionate about service,

which is critical in trying to establish positive change for those that live with disabilities. Lastly,

when it comes to navigating the vast asset of physical space in Misericordia’s campus, I’d say

they do well in utilizing their ample spaces to coordinate multiple programs, activities, etc. An

example is creating schedules for individual residents that make use of several facilities in a

single day, e.g. working out, swimming, etc., so the residents are able to feel fulfilled in their

daily routine as well as feeling accomplished by all of their hard work.

When placing into consideration the deficits that require attention, Misericordia must

keep close tabs on the limits of every resident, staff and intern. It is critical, per the nature of the
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work, that everyone is aware of what our limits are for the sake of every single person’s safety

and overall wellbeing. This can be something ranging from knowing someone’s capacity for

physical strength to knowing someone’s intellectual capabilities. These are all some of the

factors that go into specific vocational and occupational training for residents on behalf of the

organization. It is also important to recognize, though, that Misericordia has created an

environment in it can focus on both the assets and limits of everyone involved in its several parts.

The deficits are noted more individualistically to assure that proper needs are being met, which is

really an advocate-based approach when it comes to working with individuals with disabilities.

Assets are assessed in order to provide ample opportunities for engagement for the residents and

staff. An example that comes to mind is how a daily routine looks like in PEP because working

with each resident is unique to them based on their limits and abilities; however, we still utilize

multiple break-out spaces to accommodate everyone’s needs and offer them opportunities to

have fun while they’re spending their day at PEP.

Through my experiences at PEP, I have grasped a deeper understanding of the dichotomy

of assets and deficits in a health service field as an aspiring health professional. I have gotten to

understand that, in cases of vulnerable populations, one must always consider both for the overall

betterment of the individuals one is trying to work with. In the case of my internship, I have done

so in working one-on-one with specific residents, who all have very distinct diagnoses, when

trying to establish what are ideal tasks are when considering improving specific vocational

abilities. I have to assess what their strengths are, both physically and mentally, as well as

looking at where their limits lie just because I want to facilitate a schedule that is conducive to

their sense of achievement. Out of this understanding, an appreciation for this type of analysis
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has grown because I fully intend to be working with vulnerable populations once I am given the

opportunity to provide services as a qualified professional.

I think that my internship is providing me with very useful information when it comes to

community development because the community I work with is often overlooked across several

dimensions of life. Many in the disabled community are not able to voice their concerns that may

reach larger platforms as a result of various barriers, e.g. made to be a novelty, intellectual

impediments, etc. I believe that I have gotten the unique opportunity to really explore an active

community that exists in its own bubble, which means residents are able to flourish in this

environment because they are offered consistency and comfort. Something that I would

challenge Misericordia in doing is allowing for more opportunities to engage with the

community outside its facilities because one cannot have genuine community development if the

community solely exists in a microcosm that essentially stagnates as time passes. I will also say,

though, that it may take a more analytical view to really understand concepts that facilitate

community development in this organization because many are quick to take this type of work at

face value. I’d urge the organization to make it clear how differences are being made and why

it’s important that positions be taken seriously. Those would be my largest critiques, otherwise, I

think that the organization has done a terrific job at providing me with very valuable information

with respect to community development.

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