Minerva Perez-Vargas starts her day by blasting salsa music to help get her younger brother, Elvin, up in the mornings. Getting Elvin up in the mornings can be a big process. He requires full, hands-on care after being permanently developmentally disabled from the age of two and half years old. That includes help with getting dressed, showering, toileting, feeding, and...
Read MoreDee Vosmik and her youngest daughter Lisa Deanna (Dee) Vosmik had a storied career in the field of developmental disabilities (DD). As the Director of Residential Services at the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Dee led the effort to build the county’s first group home for children and adults with developmental disabilities, phasing out traditional hospital institutional-living settings. From...
Read MoreSisters Susan MacKenzie, Ellen Ladik and Mary Smith remember their late sister Beth who was one of the original residents at Haven Hill Home in Brecksville when it opened in 1983. Below is the Q&A with the three sisters. Q: How long have you been involved with Blossom Hill and in what capacities? A: Our sister Beth attended Children Forever...
Read MoreRecently, we emailed questions to Shirley, the mother of Mary Jo, who has called Blossom Hill "home" for over 30 years. Shirley told us a little more about Mary Jo, their struggle to find the right fit for her, and how she eventually came to Blossom Hill, back when it known as Haven Hill and it was located in Brecksville....
Read MoreThis story was sent to us by Barry’s sister Nancy as part of the Our Story Matters campaign, aimed at bringing to life the stories of the people that make up our rich and vibrant organization. “My brother Barry came into our home as a foster baby like all the other babies my parents cared for during the previous ten...
Read MoreLinda has been the primary caregiver for her son, Christopher, for over 30 years. As a complete quadriplegic and non-verbal, Linda relies on her son’s facial expressions to understand his needs. That’s why, she says, his laid-back personality, his pleasant demeanor and his smiles are very reassuring to her on her hardest days. Chris and Linda And, because of COVID-19,...
Read MoreBlossom HIll CEO Lynne with Ernie Ernie has lived at Parma House since it opened in 1993. He enjoys watching football, traveling, and drinking coffee. He took a very memorable trip to Disney World in 2017 accompanied by two DSP caregivers and said his favorite ride was, “the plane ride on our way there in First Class!” He’s also been...
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