If you're in charge of mentally handicapped people...

[Gurndigarn]

... please do not play arcade games when in public areas. If you want to have your charges play, no problem, usually. They'll probably be frustrated because of how difficult the games are to them, but everyone will survive that. However, if you play the games, your attention is not where it's supposed to be.

Ah, well. At least the group today was well-behaved. But I've had enough bad experiences with retarded people who need very attentive keepers at all times that I freak a little any time I can tell that there are people who cannot be out on their own around me... and the person who's supposed to be responsible for them is busy playing Ms Pac Man.

[Dark-Star]

Glad they were well-behaved...but should mentally handicapped even be at an arcade? With all the flashing lights, loud noise and tons of strange people?

[Gurndigarn]

Glad they were well-behaved...but should mentally handicapped even be at an arcade? With all the flashing lights, loud noise and tons of strange people?

This was the game area of a theater. But yeah, back when I managed an arcade, we would be one of their destinations. Usually not much of an issue, even though I don't think any of them really understood what was going on. They liked the lights and noise, usually. The problems came when you had an explorer, or a touchy-feely one, or a moaner/screamer. It was really bad when you had an explorer at a time you were doing soldering, or a touchy-feely one when you were stocking something fragile or hard to get at.

[bainsidhe]

Are these family members or do they appear to be paid caregivers? If the former, that sucks, but if the latter, I suggest you find out where they work and report them. Why do I get the feeling they are mostly family members

[d962831]

Are these family members or do they appear to be paid caregivers? If the former, that sucks, but if the latter, I suggest you find out where they work and report them. Why do I get the feeling they are mostly family members

because people who are caregivers usually understand that those with disabilities do in fact need to be under constant observation, because even though many of them are actually fairly understanding of right and wrong behavior, they aren't so quick to employ said behavior...of course once they've processed everything they've done they'll often try to apologize which I think is awesome. I myself know a few kids who are considered mentally handicapped, but really I don't care if they can't do addition and subtraction, they're some of the few people I can have an intelligent conversation with, much unlike most SC's.

Also, the families that I've witnessed who take care of them often treat them as less than human and either don't care or are rather cruel. That doesn't mean all, but many of the ones I've witnesses are.

[blas]

Once at American Eagle, I saw two girls my age who were most likely either caregivers or family members of a mentally disabled young man, and they just shopped their little hearts out while the poor guy wandered around so confused.....I wanted to beat those two girls senseless.

They'd just keep saying "Come on Johnny! Let's go..!" and keep shopping.

[PepperElf]

Glad they were well-behaved...but should mentally handicapped even be at an arcade? With all the flashing lights, loud noise and tons of strange people?

I believe it all depends on their particular condition. Though i'd more apt to think someone who's epileptic is going to be more bothered.

but i have to agree... if you're in charge of someone who cannot legally be responsible for themselves, then you shouldn't be f*ing off with them in tow. you're suppose to be RESPONSIBLE for them, meaning ... that person's life and safety depends on your actions and inactions.

besides, personally i always thought pacman was boring.

Also, the families that I've witnessed who take care of them often treat them as less than human and either don't care or are rather cruel. That doesn't mean all, but many of the ones I've witnesses are.

I mentioned that in one of my sightings posts back a month or two ago... At Mom's old apartment, the apartment manager treated one of the retarded residents like shit. for example... basically forcing the retarded man into cleaning up after the christmas party, making him think he HAD to do it, like he owed them labor just for living there.

[Der Cute]

Though i'd more apt to think someone who's epileptic is going to be more bothered.

Sorry to threadjack, but not everyone who's epileptic is photo-sensitive. And not everyone who's photo sensitive is epileptic.

I've got E, and one of my missions in life is to help straighten out the myths of E.
I have never had a seizure induced by light flashes. If I have bright lights /flashes, the only issue I ever have is a migraine sometimes. And ONLY when light is in the right eye.

[aurelemsrealm]

Sorry, I'm very tired at the moment. I should be in bed, but I'm reading because I'm waiting on a phone call on my cell phone. My mind isn't the clearest at the moment. I'm guessing E is an abbreviation for epilepsy? Like I said, my mind isn't at peak clarity, so I had to think about that one as I read your post.

[Der Cute]

Yes, E is my shortcut for Epilepsy. Sorry about not being...clear. I have the problem of brevity vs. better worded sentences.

cutenoob

[air914]

Heck being responsible for someone who is mentally handicapped - or even just a small child seems to be a thing of the past most times. There's so many parents/family members that can't keep track of or be responsible for young children without any mental disabilities - how do you expect the ones with mentally handicapped children to be any better? It's a sad, sad thing.

[Happy Otter Lover]

I used to work in an arcade/family fun centre and every Sunday this guy would come in with a mentally disabled man he was "caring for". Every Sunday the careworker would park himself in front of the Initial D racing game for two hours and let the poor man wander around upstairs, alone. Because he didn't look disabled, he just appeared to be a slightly older man shuffling around and peering at people (not to be mistaken for the owner of the business who was prone to doing that too), I would have other customers come to me at the front desk thinking that he was leering at people or he was some kind of pedophile. It upset me because I know that if his careworker actually spent time with him, the man could've had a lot of fun playing some of the games or going minigolfing.

And regarding disabled persons not coping well in an arcade situation, I've never encountered any issues personally. We had lots of groups and careworkers come in and they all had a blast (except for an incedent in one of the minigolf courses once, but that's a whole other story) . My mum also works in group homes for such individuals and she used to bring her ladies in quite often and they thought it was great.

[Arcade Man D]

Aye, Gurndigarn. At my store ((I work at a full-fledged FEC, stopped calling it an arcade when corporate decided to pull all the pinballs from all the locations, but that's another rant)) we frequently get groups of people with various handicaps. However, all the caretakers in these cases are of the professional variety, and are either not playing, or are playing with their charges, helping them so they aren't as frustrated by the games.

Actually, I think we've only ever had one case of an inattentive caretaker or parent at my store, and she got torn a new one by the cop that came in when we called security about a lost child.

[PepperElf]

yay for teh cop. maybe next time she'll think twice before doing that again

and thanks for teh E info. i learn something new every day