Follow that Bird!

One would be hard-pressed to catch Jeff unaccompanied by his Big Bird entourage.
The stuffed bird has been Jeff’s right-hand man since he fell in love with the classic Sesame Street character when he was just a kid.  Before joining the Las Trampas family, Jeff and the stuffed bird lived at the Sonoma Developmental Center together where he was urged to ditch his furry friend, but to no avail.  Today, Jeff lives in the Maureen House where his individuality is appreciated and fostered.

On Saturday May 21st, staff and residents of the Maureen House took Jeff on a day trip to the San Jose Civic Center to see Sesame Street Live.

Dynamic as Jeff is, it can be difficult for him to sit still for long periods of time, but at that matinee even a fire in the building could not have high-jacked his focus.  When Big Bird made his first stage entrance, fellow Maureen House residents showed their enthusiasm for him both verbally and nonverbally (depending on their communication capabilities).

Jeff’s nonverbal roommate pointed at the big yellow bird with two outstretched arms to show his support and enthusiasm.

Besides Sesame Street, Jeff enjoys watching Football, regardless of which teams are playing. He loves snacking and, despite the many health issues he faces, is always filled with energy and gumption.  The staff at Maureen House are passionate about making every day count for the adults with developmental disabilities they work so closely with and they find encouragement in the small progressions of each individual.

Since moving into the Maureen House Jeff has become friendlier, more communicative and his health issues have noticeably improved.

As for Big Bird…we can never really know how life at the Maureen House compares to life on Sesame Street but we can take comfort in knowing that if it were that wonderful a place, someone would have told us by now how to get -how to get to Sesame Street.