Village Life—The Heart of Down Home Ranch

The Residency program is the heart of Down Home Ranch. Our goal in building The Village at Down Home Ranch was to re-create the old-fashioned neighborhood of years past, where a helping hand is always nearby. Ranchers are free to visit at will in one another's homes, to invite friends in for an evening of movies or games, or to gather together for a community celebration, swim, baseball game or meal.

Down Home Ranch is a community of celebration! We make a big deal of holidays and important occasions. Every Rancher's birthday is celebrated with a community party, and seasonal decorations reflect the traditions we all hold dear. While most Ranchers spend holidays with their families, those for whom this is not practical are welcome to remain and celebrate with resident staff and other Ranchers.

Every attempt is made to create a standard of living for all Ranchers equal to that of their non-handicapped siblings. Ranchers exercise a great deal of choice day-to-day in choosing the activities in which they wish to participate. Excellent facilities, from our beautiful barn to our gorgeous pool and fitness center are available to them at all times.

Every year the Ranchers get to take a weeklong vacation to a place of their choosing. Past vacations have included Memphis, Tennessee to check out Graceland and St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Corpus Christi for beachcombing and deepwater fishing, Kansas City and Orlando to attend the annual conferences of the National Down Syndrome Congress, and San Antonio. Early next year we will be accompanying Ranchers on their sixth cruise down the coast of Mexico.

"Down" is in our name, and we specialize in meeting the unique needs of those who have Down syndrome, which the majority of our Ranchers do. At the same time, we are not exclusive of those who don't, and work equally hard to meet the needs of all our Ranchers.

Criteria for Residency

Residency is open to applicants meeting the above criteria regardless of socioeconomic level, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or national origin.

There are currently three residential options:

Living Options at Down Home Ranch

The Village is home to 25 Ranchers living in six homes and their Resident Assistants (RAs), Founders Jerry and Judy Horton, two staff spouses, and a few happy dogs.

Intermediate Care Facility (ICF)

The six 5-6-person homes that comprise the Village are each separately licensed as an ICF-MR (Intermediate Care Facility for Mentally Retarded) home, with all fees paid by a combination of federal and state resources. Potential Ranchers must be eligible for Medicaid and have a Determination of Mental Retardation (DMR) to qualify for residency.

Each home houses 5-6 Ranchers of the same gender. The Resident Assistants and Weekend Resident Assistants serve as friend, teacher, mentor, and life coach to help Ranchers grow in independence, tending the home and grounds, preparing meals, and performing the many tasks that go into making a house a home.

Every Rancher enjoys a large private bedroom, decorated to his or her taste, and a private or semi-private bathroom.

People sometimes ask how long a Rancher is allowed to live at the Ranch. There is no limit. Ranchers who make Down Home Ranch their home may continue to do so for their entire lives if they wish, as long as they continue to meet the basic criteria for residency.

Tuition-Based Residential Program Opportunities

In the Fall of 2010, the Ranch began offering residency on a private-pay tuition basis. As a part of the community, the Ranchers participate in our established Ranch work program as well as their choice of organized activities and special events.

Supported Independent Living (SIL)

The Ranch maintains two houses, Sarah and Timothy House, located in the heart of the village. Each home has two bedroom/bath suites joined by a common living/kitchen/dining area.

In addition to meeting the general Criteria for Residency, candidates for independent living in one of these homes must be able to demonstrate a high degree of personal responsibility:

A Resident Assistant for Independent Living will be assigned to work with Ranchers in Independent Living and will live in close proximity to both houses.

Application for Residency

The Ranch does not maintain a "waiting list" in the traditional sense. We evaluate each applicant on the interest list who has indicated interest for future residency when a vacancy occurs, matching as best we can the Rancher to the living situation, house, staff, and other Ranchers.

We want every Rancher to 1) be able to benefit from life in the Down Home Ranch community, and 2) to be able to contribute to the community in the setting currently available. A potential Rancher who has been on the list longer will be notified of residency opportunities before those who have been on the list a shorter time. Even though an individual has been added to our interest list it does not guarantee acceptance into our programs.

We encourage you to stay in touch with Down Home Ranch, sign up for our email list, and visit our website often and check out our Our Facebook Page for News and Upcoming Events.