Frequently Asked Questions

Currently 223; 242 after The Village at Marbridge is completed.

The short answer is that Marbridge residents have various cognitive challenges, including, but not limited to, mental retardation, autism, Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Asperger’s Syndrome, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and epilepsy. But that’s not really the whole story. Marbridge doesn’t base its services solely on diagnoses. Our spectrum of care is unique in Texas and very limited nationwide. We serve adults, age 18 and older, with various cognitive challenges. Successful Ranch or Village resident candidates will have a need for some level of supervised living. They will be ambulatory, able to feed themselves, and capable of handling activities of daily living. Successful Villa residents will have medical necessity of a skilled nursing home and may or may not have a cognitive challenge. Villa residents range from adults with profound mental retardation to individuals experiencing dementia who require licensed medical care.

Yes.

Approximately 60% of our residents are male and 40% are female. Our residents come from 28 states and 4 international countries, although 95% of Marbridge residents are from Texas.

Demographics at The Village at Marbridge
(fill in blank %) residents are 18-25 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 25-35 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 35-50 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 50-65 years of age

Demographics for The Ranch at Marbridge
(fill in blank %) residents are 18-25 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 25-35 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 35-50 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 50-65 years of age

Demographics for The Villa at Marbridge
(fill in blank %) residents are 18-25 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 25-35 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 35-50 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 50-65 years of age
(fill in blank %) residents are 65-90 years of age

Approximately 60% of our residents are male and 40% are female.

There is no age limit at any of Marbridge’s communities, although residents at The Village and The Ranch must have the ability to handle routine activities of daily living (i.e., eating, toileting, grooming, bathing, etc). Residents that cannot manage routine activities of daily living find the support they need at The Villa, a licensed skilled nursing home.

No.

Yes. Marbridge offers a full spectrum of care through our three distinct but interrelated communities. Marbridge can provide care for residents from the time they are 18 years old to the end of their life on earth.

Residents at The Ranch and The Village share semi-private rooms, and each community director makes the room assignments at the respective community. Decisions on roommates are based on room availability (whether for male or female) and, when possible, based on compatibility between individuals of similar abilities and interests. This sometimes requires a trial period between new roommates. Reassignment of roommates remains the decision of the respective community director. Private rooms are sometimes possible at The Villa.

Yes, depending on which community he or she chooses. Village residents are the most independent in activities of daily living and receive only reminders to help with food selection, nutrition, eating habits, toileting, grooming, bathing, etc. Ranch residents sometimes require limited assistance and reminders for personal hygiene (bathing, shaving, and shampooing), grooming (neatness and clothes selection), and being on time (wake up calls, scheduled training sessions, etc). Villa residents can receive, if required, complete assistance with all activities of daily living.

Yes; a commercial-style laundry is staffed to handle the laundry needs of Ranch and Villa residents who cannot do their own laundry. The laundry, newly constructed in May 2007, also contains a launderette for Ranch residents capable of doing their own laundry. Each cottage in the new Village will contain its own washer and dryer, and Village residents are expected to do their own laundry.

Yes, as long as it doesn’t interfere with employment or scheduled training. The experience at The Ranch and The Village is intended to build a resident’s independence, so trips home every weekend may not be in the resident’s best interest. Family members are expected to coordinate home visits with community management prior to the visit to ensure the resident’s availability. There are multiple weekend leisure and recreation opportunities on and off campus at The Ranch and The Village.

Yes, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your resident’s employment or scheduled training. Vacation time for employed residents requires employer approval. Residents are expected to provide employers sufficient time to adjust work schedules. Vacation times are optimally scheduled during the routine breaks in training schedules (i.e., Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and at the end of the pring semester in May). For Villa residents funded by Medicaid, off-campus trips are limited to 72 hours to retain Medicaid eligibility.

Family visits with Ranch and Village residents are encouraged on a not-to-interfere basis with the resident’s scheduled on- and off-campus training. The Ranch and The Village experience is intended to build a resident’s independence and self confidence, so family visits every week may not be in the resident’s best interest. Family members of Villa residents may have unlimited visitation, especially during a resident’s recovery from hospitalization or in the resident’s final days of life.

Yes. Public telephones are available for all residents. Ranch and Village residents are permitted to have mobile phones, but they may not be used during routine scheduled training or employment or after curfew times and should not interfere with the roommate’s personal privacy or sleep. Villa residents can have and use a mobile phone as long as it does not interfere with a roommate’s (or any other resident’s) personal privacy or sleep.

Residents in all communities are permitted to have a radio, a television, a computer, and limited computer games based on space limitations and electrical safety and capacity in the room. Each resident is requested to be courteous and respectful of their roommate’s personal privacy and personal space. Misuse and/or abuse of personal electronics by a resident may result in disciplinary action that may include temporary or permanent removal of the electronic device until the resident can demonstrate required discipline to limit use within guidelines.

Yes, Ranch and Villa residents are permitted supervised access to the Internet, and email between residents and family members is encouraged and assisted by staff, if necessary. Computers in residents’ rooms do not have Internet access.

Yes, someone is working and available at all times at each of the Marbridge communities.

Yes. Marbridge’s top three priorities are safety, well-being, and happiness. Staff monitor each community, 24 hours a day, to ensure that the campus remains safe and secure for residents.

More than 150 training opportunities are offered each week through our Abilities Centered Training program.

The Director of Training & Education schedules the training opportunities for each Village and Ranch resident. The respective community director reviews, approves, and supervises each resident’s training schedule. Villa residents, due to medical limitations, participate in limited training opportunities, but enjoy a robust activities schedule.

Each Ranch and Village resident is provided with his or her own training schedule. Copies of all residents’ training schedules are maintained and monitored by multiple staff members in the community. Residents who cannot read are given verbal reinforcement and reminders each semester until the routine is committed to memory. Resident trainers and instructors provide encouragement and assistance to help residents learn and maintain their training schedules.

IPP is the Individual Program Plan developed for each Ranch and Village resident. The IPP is established based on the resident’s personal goals, the resident’s family’s goals for the resident, and staff observation and evaluation to identify and assist the resident to establish personal goals. It also includes scheduling training opportunities in the residential, instructional, and leisure environments of a resident’s life to help the resident achieve his or her goals. No two residents have the exact same goals or training schedule.

The IPP is established after the resident’s first two weeks at Marbridge and evaluated annually, or more frequently when a significant change in the resident’s condition is noted. IPP evaluation meetings include the resident, the Community Director, the resident trainer, and multiple staff members. Family attendance at the IPP meetings is encouraged. Teleconference participation is possible if personal attendance is not convenient. Input is assimilated from staff responsible for each part of the resident’s life to provide the resident and her or his family an accurate assessment of progress and to map out goals for the upcoming semester of training.

Resident Trainers are the direct care staff that assist Ranch and Village residents with their activities of daily living, as required, and serve as the resident’s consistent resource for direction, encouragement, redirection, and when necessary, discipline, to help the resident achieve her or his IPP goals. Resident Trainers offer individualized and group training sessions on daily living skills including successful completion of household chores, personal grooming, organization, neatness and orderliness. Resident trainers monitor and provide group and individualized training and redirection to help the resident on interpersonal interactions with other residents and staff. Each resident trainer must successfully complete a competency-based training through the (insert college of direct training name) and receives designation as a Certified Direct Care Professional—insert exact credential).

Our residents are bored only when they chose to be. A broad spectrum of individual and group leisure and recreation activities is available to all residents each day of the week, including frequent off-campus activities. Villa residents receive a more limited, yet diverse and frequent, schedule of individualized and group activities, such as quilting, sing-alongs, volleyball, cooking classes, and trips to restaurants, to name just a few. Because many Villa residents are significantly younger than the average nursing home resident. we offer a more extensive activities schedule for residents than many other nursing homes.

Recreation activities at The Village and The Ranch include structured leisure time such as music, art, movies, and games to stimulate multiple levels of each resident’s intelligence. Residents are taught to identify specific individualized leisure activities that satisfy and stimulate their specific interests including reading, puzzles, sewing, listening to music, and watching appropriate television and videos as well as group leisure opportunities including choir, drama, Special Olympics group and individualized events, equestrian therapy, drum therapy, multiple art modality trainings. More than (get number from Jana Kay) leisure and recreation training opportunities are included in our Abilities Centered Training program.

Both. On-campus activities range from Special Olympics (basketball, softball, bocce, bowling, swimming, track and field), daily aerobic walking groups, yoga classes, structured art and choir training, equine therapy, movie reviews, drama training, puzzle assembly, card playing, dominos and even training in quilting. (Jana Kay review for highlighting specific activities)

Many off-campus activities are scheduled for various size groups from The Villa, The Ranch, and The Village. Off-campus activities are scheduled differently for each Marbridge community based on the capabilities of the residents. Villa residents who are capable of leaving the campus have town trips at least once a month. These trips vary, although they generally include off-campus dining, shopping, and recreational activities. Villa residents who are capable participate in local nursing homes games as well as attend community and cultural activities including the circus, music concerts, and local athletic events. All off-campus activities for Villa and Ranch residents are scheduled, supervised, and accompanied by staff and sometimes volunteers.

Different groups of Ranch and Village residents go bowling weekly and enjoy monthly town trips to purchase hygiene items and dine at a local restaurant. Village residents who are capable of safely using public transportation and who have demonstrated the capacity to safely travel without supervision enjoy individualized or small group trips to local shopping malls, restaurants, and other sites in downtown Austin. Small groups of Ranch and Village residents frequently schedule group dining experiences and attend myriad community activities including high school and college athletics, visits to art museums and cultural events in the Austin community as well as trips to playgrounds including Sea World, Fiesta Texas, sightseeing, bay fishing and deep sea fishing at the Texas Gulf Coast. Some major off-campus activities have included group trips to Disneyland, DisneyWorld, the Grand Canyon, and even a Caribbean Cruise.

Activities that are not included in the program costs may require an extra charge for resident participation. Examples include travel, lodging, and supervision costs for regional and state Special Olympics participation, sightseeing and fishing trips to the Texas Gulf coast, participating in visits to SeaWorld and Fiesta Texas, and attending collegiate and professional sporting events where admission is charged. Any activity not made available to all residents is subject to a charge to any resident participating in the activity.

Sure, as long as you have the prior approval of the residents’ sponsors. Roommates frequently become friends and enjoy off-campus trips with each other’s families.

Almost any exercise program you might want is available at Marbridge. Physical exercise is an important element of Abilities Centered Training, so we have multiple options appropriate to a wide range of physical capabilities. This includes physical and occupational therapy at The Villa, for residents of any campus (available at an additional charge). Aerobic exercise includes scheduled daily walking on campus, participating in 5K community walks, yoga, swimming, golf, bocce, as well as training for and participation in basketball, softball, swimming, track and field team and individual sports.

Sponsors are provided a list of types of activities and the related costs (if any) annually to approve the level of his or her resident’s participation and expense. Community directors are responsive to sponsor input and approval of specific extracurricular activities. The Community Director is the decision maker on each resident’s individualized training activities in programs and training offered to all residents in a respective community.

Both! Special choir, puppet, and drama performances are actively sought and scheduled on campus. Residents participate in multiple off-campus special events in the Austin and Central Texas community based on the physical and financial means. Some scholarships are available to help residents participate in off-campus special events.

It depends on the event. Families are encouraged to attend special events, such as a Special Olympics event in which a loved one is participating, but family participation is limited to cheerleading. Family participation on off-campus trips is not routinely permitted in order to teach residents to be independent from family supervision.

Yes! More than 100 residents participate in Special Olympics activities throughout the year, including basketball, softball, track and field, bocce, golf, and swimming.

Each resident’s sponsor designates a primary care physician (PCP) for his or her resident. Marbridge’s medical director is the designee for the vast majority of residents, but insurance requirements and personal selection can dictate the PCP. A licensed vocational nurse (LVN) or certified medication aid (CMA) may actually place the order to the pharmacy, and an LVN or CMA will receive and store the medication when it is received. An LVN monitors each resident’s individualized prescribed medications at each Marbridge community. Marbridge contracts with a major pharmaceutical firm that fills prescriptions in blister packs and provides delivery of prescribed medications on site in a timely manner.

At The Villa, a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) or a certified medication aid (CMA) administers and documents each resident’s intake of medication. Residents at The Ranch and The Village are permitted to self-medicate under the observation of a resident trainer who has received training for this function under the supervision of the Director of Nurses, a registered nurse (RN) at The Villa. Residents who cannot punch the individual medication from a blister pack are assisted by a resident trainer who observes and documents the resident’s intake of the medication.

No. All medications are stored in a secure locked location and only taken under the supervision of trained staff.

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and (S???fill in) therapy are available from The Villa, at an additional cost, for any resident prescribed the therapy.

At The Villa, all medical and dental appointments are scheduled by a licensed vocational nurse. A staff member will transport residents from any community to medical or dental appointments. At The Ranch and The Village, a designated staff member, trained in coordinating and scheduling medical and dental appointments, makes appointments for residents.

It depends on the resident. For all Villa and Ranch residents, a staff member will transport and accompany each resident to a medical or dental appointment. Some Village residents capable of traveling independently may go to medical and dental appointments without supervision. If the staff determines a resident needs accompaniment, a staff member will be designated to transport and accompany a resident to a medical or dental appointment.

Any resident of The Ranch or The Village who is desirous and capable or employment (at some level) is given the training and opportunity. Employment is an important and distinguishing element of Abilities Centered Training, and the chance to enjoy the satisfaction of making a contribution to the community in which one lives is an important grounding concept at Marbridge.

More than 90 residents of The Ranch and The Village are employed either on or off campus. Twenty-three Village residents work for off-campus employers including the University of Texas, Barton Creek Country Club, Goodwill, Hilton Hotel, Taco Bell, HEB, Randalls, Whataburger, Austin Independent School District, and others. Ranch residents are only employed in on-campus jobs, but each is a distinct employment requirement, not a make-work position, including resident clothes sorting and delivery from the laundry, table busser, food preparation and dietary assistant in a cafeteria, dishwasher, landscaping, and office custodian.

A resident employment coordinator identifies potential on- and off-campus employment opportunities and then trains and assists residents as they prepare a resume, conduct an interview, and complete the application for employment. Residents are taught and required to complete appropriate employment interviews for on- and off-campus jobs.

The monthly tuition (effective July 1, 2007) at The Ranch and The Village is $2,530.

Tuition is the cost for room, board and program costs at The Ranch and The Village.

Additional costs not covered by tuition include clothing, medication, medical appointments, participation in special off-campus events, and travel costs to and from the airport or bus station.

A resident is provided funds for expenditures from their campus office (including a monthly allowance approved by the sponsor). The charge is reflected on the monthly statement mailed at the end of each month.

The primary point of contact for the parents or other sponsor is the director of the community in which the resident resides. Communication with various staff members may occur with a sponsor concerning accounting, travel logistics, medication changes, training schedule changes, or in response to an unscheduled telephone call.

At the end of each month, a statement reflecting historical expenses for the previous month and the tuition for the upcoming month will be sent to the designated sponsor. A monthly list of scheduled activities can be sent to each sponsor upon request to the community director. Any significant change in the resident’s condition will be reported by telephone and/or by email to the designated sponsor. Please note, Marbridge can only report financial statements and changes in a resident’s condition to one designated sponsor per resident. Marbridge strives to keep sponsors and multiple family and friends informed through numerous publications including the Marbridge Messenger (tri-annual external news letter focusing on programs and special themes) and the Campus Chronical (bi-monthly internal news focusing on resident and staff activities). Both are available via the internet at www.marbridge.org.

Maybe so! Contact the Marbridge Admissions office (attn: Will Hoermann) by telephone at 512-282-1144 or via email at wchoermann@marbridge.org to get the names of families of current residents living in your area.