Adults with disabilities program moves from Marion to Wareham

Dec 18, 2013

Community Connections, a nonprofit serving adults with disabilities, will be moving one of its facilities from Marion to Wareham early next year.

The 28-year-old South Yarmouth-based organization is now renovating a building on Church Avenue behind Tobey Hospital.

The new facility will be able to serve 60 clients from Wareham, Marion, Rochester, Mattapoisett, New Bedford and Bourne. The hours of operation will run from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

In its small Marion quarters, Community Connections is not able to serve more than 40 clients.

The nonprofit helps clients with a wide range of physical and mental disabilities using physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, alternative therapies and life skills training. It is funded through private health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, fundraising and grants.

“We will have full-time nurses on staff, developmental specialists and developmental aides with the goal that we can further our clients’ independence,” said Sharon Burman, vice president of strategic operations.

Community Connections offers transportation for its clients as well as employment services.

Burman is happy with the new location. “We were looking for a new facility, and [the Department of Developmental Services] and the school said there was a need here in Wareham,” she said. “It’s a good neighborhood. It’s private but centrally located in Southeastern Mass.”

And she likes the building.

“You see the number of windows we have here is great because it brings in more light,” Burmang said. “Bringing in more light is a simple way to improve the atmosphere and mood of a room."

In those sun-filled rooms, occupational therapists will work with clients to help them develop their day-to-day skills, from cooking to laundry.

Speech therapists will help clients who have trouble speaking using a variety of methods, including modern technology.

“We will use iPads to help clients communicate in speech therapy,” Burman said. “We have clients whose only way of communicating is with these apps.”

The 23-year-old brother of project manager Pat Coburn is not capable of speaking. Coburn said the use of mobile applications has changed his brother’s life.

Renovations are expected to be completed in January with a grand opening in February.

“We will be involved in the community. Not just with outside activities like bowling, but community volunteerism and employment,” Burman said. “There is an importance to giving back to communities that give so much to us. We get a sense of pride in that.”

As an example, Burman said one of Community Connection’s offices made 17 pies and 300 cookies for a Hyannis Elks Lodge Thanksgiving event.

Community Connections is accepting clients for this new facility. Those interested may call 508-748-9595.

The facility will also be hiring.

Community Connections will update the progress of the renovation on its Facebook page.