60 Years Later: Reflecting on Life with Disabilities Across the Decades

Over the past decades, the approach to understanding and supporting disabilities has undergone a profound transformation. From a time when individuals with disabilities were often marginalized or institutionalized, society has moved toward creating environments that promote independence, inclusivity, and the recognition of each person's unique gifts. This evolution reflects broader changes in societal attitudes, legal frameworks, and educational practices, all aimed at fostering a more inclusive world for all people. 

Rene' Besold is a retired Director of Human Resources and Training living in Castro Valley. She believes that everyone should be valued for who they are. To her, "disability" just means difference and there is a right place for every productive human being regardless of that difference.

She recently shared a powerful story about the lived experience of a family caring for a now-63-year-old adult with a disability, whom we’ll refer to as L. 

L was born with an extra chromosome and diagnosed as being developmentally disabled. At the age of three or four, doctors told L’s mother that she would be better off sending L to an asylum since she would have no chance of ever leading a productive life. For ten years, her mother raised her alone, refusing to give up or accept the fate that medical professionals had predicted for her daughter. 

Rene’ explains that over the years, the strain became too much and the mother began to seek a placement that would provide a structured living environment as well as educational support for L. This was when they discovered a program called The Cedars of Marin, a world-renowned program where individuals with various diagnoses have the opportunity to live independently within a community, engaging in prosocial activities, and leading productive lives.

Today, L lives in a group home with others. They are all responsible for independent living and being an adult. She can now write her name and speak. She makes and sells art and cares for animals.  

Rene’ shares, “For over five decades now, The Cedars of Marin has provided impeccable nurturing, teaching, constant caring, and loving reinforcement, and L is now a highly functional, outgoing, articulate, and accomplished adult who brings countless hours of joy to those she meets. Those who are different simply bring greatness in their own ways; and if those of us who are so-called "normal" will just give them a chance and the resources to become productive members of society, then most will succeed beyond our wildest expectations. 

Rene’ met L’s family when she was 27 years old, living next door to them. She was instantly drawn to help and support the independence and development of L. When Rene’ learned that if L’s mother were to pass, L would be sent to state care, she inquired about becoming L’s co-conservator. 

Fifty-one years ago, Rene’ was told that her co-conservatorship with L. became the first case in California wherein a non-family member was granted conservatorship. It takes trailblazers, visionaries, and individuals like Rene’ to start making meaningful changes in our social structures to champion and uplift those who are unheard.

Sixty years ago, the understanding of disabilities was largely framed by a medical model, which focused on what individuals could not do rather than what they could do. This perspective often led to the segregation of people with disabilities, whether in specialized schools or institutions, isolating them from mainstream society. One of the most significant changes in recent times has been the focus on creating environments that promote independence for individuals with disabilities by recognizing the unique gifts every individual holds.

Rene’ concludes by sharing her thoughts on how our society can support the unique gifts that everyone possesses:

1. Help kids learn about what they are innately good at and use those interests to , at an early age. 

2. Allow all individuals to be productive parts of society, especially neurodivergent minds.

3. Seek early detection of a diagnosis so the appropriate environments can be created.

4. Misdiagnosed or missed diagnoses will not allow children to be successful in adulthood. 

We hope this story inspires you or a loved one who is seeking to discover their unique gifts. May it encourage you to remain committed to creating supportive and uplifting environments, particularly for those with disabilities. We are in a new era of awareness and access to resources that enable all individuals to lead meaningful lives—let’s continue to build on this progress over the next decades.