Robert Williams
I was hit a by car in 1997 three miles from where I live now. I’m a quad, C5-severed,
which means my fifth vertebrae was completely severed.
My girlfriend took care of me for seven months, but when she left, I was forced into a
nursing home in Towson in 1998, and I spent four and half years there. At first I loved it, then I found out what it was all about. I
started asking around to find out how to get out, and nobody gave me information. In 1999 I applied for a Section 8 housing voucher and got
it.
I found names of people who could help me, until I reached a disability rights
attorney. I got involved with Maryland ADAPT while I was still in the nursing home, and I finally got out last year.
The nursing home stank. They dropped me a couple times, hurt my shoulder. I had to fire
eight aides. One of them left me in the room with the door shut, no call light, ignoring me. I told them if they didn’t get rid of him, I
was gonna sue.
Being out of the nursing home is like freedom from jail. I get up when I want to, go to
bed at 4 in the morning, who cares? I can stay in bed all day if I want.
I’ve got a new aide living with me who’s pumped up about getting folks out of
nursing homes. I gotta friend in