Diana Mairose
Diana worked with the Harvard Project on Disability (HPOD) and Massachusetts Advocates Standing Strong (MASS) on a participatory research project. Working with Tony Phillips, Diana sought to understand the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities living in group homes during the pandemic.
Report
This research was created by Diana Mairose and Tony Philips, two self-advocates with intellectual disabilities who wanted to understand the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities living in group homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is little research or literature on people with intellectual disabilities living in group homes, and even less research conducted by researchers with intellectual disabilities. The researchers chose to interview and connect with this group because they believe their stories and experiences deserve to be heard. The researchers also believe that persons in group homes may have experienced greater social isolation or greater barriers to accessing the community during the COVID-19 pandemic than persons with intellectual disabilities either on their own or with family members. At the core, the research seeks to ensure that the voices of people with intellectual disabilities in group homes are heard. The research was supported by Anne Fracht and Hezzy Smith from the Harvard Project on Disability.
Read Diana’s blog: The Power of a Conversation in the Disability Community
Bio
Diana Mairose (she/her) is a valued member of the Advocacy Support Team with Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services where she has been employed as an advocate since 2008. Diana is a long-time, active, well-connected advocate for people with disabilities. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has a heart for people all over the nation, evidenced by her widely sought-after services as a speaker. Diana is known for her voting education in Cincinnati and her work educating people about their voting rights and how to vote.
Keywords
Disability rights, Covid-19, Social Isolation, Social Connectedness, Relationships, Self-advocacy, Group Homes