WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the way one non-profit is serving individuals who have life-long disabilities in the Midlands.
The Babcock Center is a private non-profit in Richland and Lexington counties who supports those with developmental disabilities, head and spinal cord injuries, autism, and other types of long-term disabilities.
Thoyd Warren, the President and CEO of the Babcock Center, says they have both a residential and vocational programs that include employment services.
"At the Babcock Center, the coronavirus pandemic has really changed the way that we look at our operations," said Warren. "We have 62 residential homes throughout Richland and Lexington counties and we have seven day programs and a lot of other activities."
Throughout the pandemic, the non-profit has closed several of their day program operations.
"Those individuals are at home right now and the workshop staff is working with them at the home in the mornings and our residential staff is supporting them in the evenings," explained Warren.
Some of the folks the Babcock Center works are still at their job with some of the jobs being essential. For those going to work, the non-profit has been working with partners to help check temperatures and offer masks and gloves.
The Babcock Center says they've been thankful to be able to work with community partners to make sure everyone has what they need.
Warren says the individuals who live at home with their families have been impacted the most.
"They're used to coming to us from eight o'clock to 2:30 or three o'clock every day. Those people have been at home with their families so we've been trying to make sure that we give them calls and offer support in any type of help we can get for them until we get through at a certain point in this pandemic that we can open those those agencies and those facilities back."
For those who stay at their residential programs, staff have been explaining to individuals why the coronavirus pandemic is affecting everyone's daily routine.
"We've tried to do a very good job of explaining to them why they are being kept at home, why we're not going out, why visitors can't come in. We've been doing a lot of education with them and with families. We wanted to make sure people understood why visitors couldn't come see them or maybe they (weren't) going home or their family members wasn't coming to see them."
To help folks stay connected with their family, staff at Babcock Center have been helping coordinate FaceTime and Zoom calls so loved ones can see family members.
Warren believes it's important to recognize the Direct Support Professionals who are there front-line and essential workers.
"They're in those homes 24/7. Our shifts run from eight to four, four to twelve, or twelve to eight, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Those are our heroes. Those folks have been going and coming to work every day."
The Direct Support Professionals have also been careful on where they go out in the community. With the individuals in the residential program, they are not leaving the home. Direct Support Professionals have been mindful on what they bring into the home.
"They found creative ways to keep everyone busy and keep the learning process going. They have just been spectacular, along with the other support services we have here at the Babcock Center."
Warren says they've been discussing when they will return back to normal operations like they had before. They are hoping some program operations will resume in June.