Home of the Week: Annapolis residence is home sweet home for four young men with disabilities
By Wendi Winters
wwinters@capgaznews.com |
The Langton Green Home of the Week in Annapolis. Langton Green is a group home that serves adults with developmental disabilities.
On April 1, 1984, nonprofit Langton Green Inc. started to sprout. Today, the organization provides assistance to approximately 112 adult individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
They are served in the 16 residences and 20 apartment units owned and managed by Langton Green. The apartments are located on a residential campus off Forest Drive on Arundel on the Bay Road; the houses are dotted across Anne Arundel County.
Some of the houses have been configured to aid residents with physical disabilities, others to provide a calming environment for those on the autism spectrum or who have other intellectual disabilities.
Diana Davis is the program director for Langton Green and a live-in counselor at one of the residences in Annapolis' Homewood neighborhood. The past five years, she and her young daughter have occupied a large bedroom in the basement.
Davis provides assistance to the four young men, ranging in age from 22 to 27, who reside at the Langton Green house near the Homewood community. Ahad Hussain and Travis Stone have been at the residence for a year, and Nate Green and Zach Lynch have lived there for five years.
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"We're one big family," Davis said.
Though the majority of the residents are on the autism spectrum, all four are independent and have jobs. Three work at OBI – Opportunity Builders Inc. One works at Langton Green's Supportive Employment site at its new community farm in Millersville near OBI. He helps to grow vegetables and fruits. Two are cousins.
According to Cristina De Avila, development manager for Langton Green, the house was built in 2003. It was purchased and renovated by Langton Green in 2011.
"We're right in the heart of the Annapolis community," said Davis. "We have a rose garden and a vegetable garden. We can walk to the water or to downtown."
Davis began her career with Langton Green in 2004 while in college, earning her first degree, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at University of Maryland-College Park. She has since received her Master's degree in Forensics from Villa Julie College in Stevenson. In 2008, it was renamed Stevenson University. There was a two-year break in her employment, but she returned to Langton Green and has since received several promotions.
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She currently oversees seven residences including the one in which she lives, plus eight of the apartment units.
"I just love my job," she said. "My favorite quote is 'If you do what you love, you never feel like you're working'."
Come inside
The house has a main floor, four bedrooms on the second floor and Davis' suite and a workout room on its lower level.
The main floor has an open floor plan so the various spaces segue into one another. A handrail runs long part of one wall.
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"It's open and accessible to the gentlemen that live here," said Davis. "Some on the autism spectrum have sensitivity issues with closed or ultra-large spaces.
An area formerly the dining room is now the Sensory Stim area.
"This is uber-important for the autistic population because many have sensory deficiency," Davis said. "For example, they might have issues with depth perception or rock back and forth. We give them sensory input to keep them even keeled."
This sensory effort is to help foster their independence and quality of life, care and individual needs. The Stim area has a chalkboard, a keyboard, posted schedules and some toys to touch, toss or play with while they talk through issues or the day's happenings.
The living room area, at the back of the house, has two sets of chocolate leather couches set up for conversation over the oversized ottoman or for watching the TV screen mounted on the wall.
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The walls in this area and throughout the house are lavished with framed photos of the residents and their family members.
She noted the men's families are very involved and supportive. Some visit their family's homes on weekends.
The living room and dining area, a few steps away, provide an ample view of the outside deck and its barbeque equipment and outdoor furniture, the porch swing, stone paver patio, and the verdant green yard.
The kitchen is an extension of the two areas. One part of the L-shaped granite counter forms an easy spot to gather to chat or watch a meal being prepared.
The men's families have also been active in the decoration of the bedrooms, designed to appeal to each man's interests. In the bedrooms, each resident brought in their own furniture and decorative items.
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One, with a room on the main floor, roots for the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Maryland Terrapins basketball and Navy football. Plus, he is an avid bowler. His room is lavished with splashes of red. On a low bureau, he maintains a collection of bobble heads, including one of a former Alaska governor, and a shelf of his trophies for bowling perfect games. More bobble heads populate the top of his desk.
Another, also on the main floor, is a Washington Nationals fan. They get along well. His room features an oversized Spongebob Squarepants pillow reclining on the plaid spread covering his bed. An image of Spiderman and another Spongebob decorate the walls, along with a bold Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team banner.
More to explore on the second floor
Upstairs, the landing provides an overlook of the floor below.
Davis uses part of this area as a sunny daytime office space. Just above this area are two skylights.
In one bedroom, the message is NASCAR. Race cars vrrrrooom across the bedspread. Two NASCAR banners brighten up the walls, along with a large framed Spongebob poster and a poster cutout of identical twins (Dove Cameron) from the TV sitcom "Liv and Maddie."
Next door, the mood is more subdued. The bed is cocooned with a navy blue quilt and images of vintage biplanes and clouds float on the walls.
And, who has to clean the house?
"Oh, that's easy," said Davis with a big smile. "We all sweep and mop the floors three times a day."
Nominate your home
What's it take to be a featured Home of the Week?
The residence must be located in the readership area of The Capital or Maryland Gazette. It cannot be for sale or being readied for sale. The photography and interview session usually takes place on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at 10 a.m. We must have access to the full residence, and the homeowner or resident must be available for the interview and a photograph.
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To see your house, town home, condo, apartment, cottage or cabin cruiser featured, email Wendi Winters at wwinters@capgaznews.com.
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