ABSTRACT
“George” was a 54-year-old man who lived his entire life in a suburban home with his mother, who had just turned 84. His father had died six years earlier. George passed time in his basement, watching home movies of family vacations or playing games on the family’s antiquated computer. Occasionally, George’s mother would hire an employee from a regional congregate care facility to ride the trains of the local public transit system with George. They would ride to the end of the line and back again, for up to six hours at a time. Employed at a sheltered workshop, George spent his time sitting through group activities such as chair exercises or discussions of current events. Uninterested in these activities, George did not participate. George was always impeccably dressed and well-groomed—his mother always ensured that his personal hygiene was maintained. Although George was able to shower himself, his mother continued to shave his face, brush his teeth, apply his deodorant, and comb his hair. She laid out his clothing for him. She cared for his laundry, and she shopped, cooked, cleaned, and cared for all of George’s daily needs. George and his mother were content with this arrangement.
