Abstract
This investigation reports the current status of 10 adults with mental retardation who at one time had been institutionalized in either a state-owned facility or a 60-bed, community-based, intermediate-care facility for individuals with develop- mental disabilities. These individuals, who were 19 to 53 years old in 1979, were interviewed and assessed in 1979 and again in 1992. During the intervening 13 years, their lives had been stable and satisfying by their own reports and the reports of their case managers. Their claims of satisfaction with rules and supervision increased significantly. Their claimed satisfaction also rose, although not significantly, regarding food, leisure, and learning. Case managers reported moderate satisfaction with their clients' competence in the areas of travel and social skills. Case managers' predictions of continued placement success, although generally positive, dropped significantly from 1979 to 1992 in the areas of homemaking, money management, and competitive employment. All things considered, it appears that the optimism expressed during the early months of placement in 1979 was fully justified and, with realistic qualifications, remains sustained 13 years later.