ResCare Media Guide
Thank you for visiting the ResCare Website. ResCare, with 30+ years of experience helping people reach their highest level of independence, is one of the largest providers of home care to the elderly and people with disabilities. It also offers residential and support services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and provides education, vocational training, and job placement for people of all ages and skill levels. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, ResCare and its 42,000 dedicated employees serve daily more than 65,000 people in 37 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and a growing number of international locations.
As the nation’s leading provider of such services, we have a wealth of success stories and we’d love to share with your audiences. ResCare’s employees and clients are very active in our local communities. We can also put you in touch with in-house experts who can comment on issues related to services to people with disabilities, eldercare, or youth with special needs.
We’ve prepared a brief frequently asked questions (FAQ) page about our company in this section of our website for your quick reference.
Other pages you may find helpful include:
- Our Mission Statement
- Information on using “people first” language when speaking or writing about people with disabilities
Of course, please write, call or email us if you have additional questions about ResCare and the services we provide.
Frequently Asked Questions about ResCare
- What does ResCare do?
ResCare delivers services and supports to people with disabilities, youth with special needs, seniors who need in-home assistance, and adults with barriers to employment.
- How big is the company and where are you located?
ResCare’s 42,000 dedicated employees serve daily more than 65,000 people in 37 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and a growing number of international locations. The company is based in Louisville, Kentucky.
- What’s the history and background of ResCare?
ResCare was founded by Jim Fornear in 1974 with the idea of starting a better kind of business – one based on people. Click here for more…
- What kinds of services do you provide?
ResCare offers residential and support services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and provides education, vocational training and job placement for people of all ages and skill levels. Click here for more… - How do you maintain quality in services to people with developmental disabilities?
ResCare has spent years developing quality assurance systems that can address the particular challenges in providing supports to individuals in the community and in scattered settings. We call the copyrighted system Best In Class. Click here for more… - What services do you provide for “special needs youth?”
We provide services to about 9,200 youth in 17 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Click here for more… - What is Job Corps and how does ResCare fit in?
Job Corps, a federally funded program created in 1964, is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive residential, educational, and job training program for at-risk youth ages 16 through 24. Click here for more… - How can ResCare HomeCare help my family member stay at home?
ResCare HomeCare is committed to delivering quality care and compassionate support when you want them, where you want them – in the comfort of your own home or community. We are focused on offering services that our customers have requested, services that county and state human services agencies will fund, and / or services that are prescribed by a physician. Click here for more…
Remember to think “People First”
Language is a reflection of how people see each other. That’s why the words we use can hurt. It’s also why responsible communicators are now choosing language that reflects the dignity of people with disabilities – words that put the person first, rather than the disability. Read on for a short course on using language that empowers.
- Think “people first.” Say “a woman who has a developmental disability” rather than “a developmentally disabled woman.”
- Avoid words like “unfortunate,” “afflicted,” and “victim.” Try to avoid casting a person with a disability as a superhuman model of courage. People with disabilities are just people, not tragic figures or demigods.
- A developmental disability is not a disease. Do not mention “symptoms,” “patient,” or “treatment,” unless the person you’re writing about has an illness as well as a disability.
- Use common sense. Avoid terms with obvious negative or judgmental connotations, such as “crippled,” “deaf and dumb,” “lame,” and “defective.” If you aren’t sure how to refer to a person’s condition, ask. And, if the disability is not relevant to your story or conversation, why mention it at all?
- Never refer to a person as “confined to a wheelchair.” Wheelchairs enable people to escape confinement. A person with mobility impairment “uses” a wheelchair.
- Try to describe people without disabilities as “typical” rather than “normal.”
Reproduced with permission from Ohio Public Images/Public Images Network, a not-for-profit communications and advocacy organization promoting positive awareness of people with disabilities. For more information, call 513.275.0262 (Voice/TDD).