Morgan Ketner
A Life Built on Routine, Work and Family
John Finnen, a 52 year old with Down Syndrome lives with his sister, and relies on routine to navigate his days. Without a driver's license or many places to go, he finds purpose in his work, comfort in family, and joy in everyday moments that shape his life.
John waits in front of the dining room window for the van to pick him up, with his packed lunch set below his feet until the van arrives. He prefers to bring his own food, as he does not like what is served at work and is a picky eater. John works at Auglaize Industries in New Bremen, Ohio, a nonprofit organization that provides employment opportunities for adults with disabilities. The organization partners with local companies to provide them with work. John has worked there for 31 years, completing what he calls “flags” from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
John arrives home from work, changes and heads straight for the mailbox. He likes to check the mail before his nephews get home so he can be the first to grab it. It is a task he prefers to do independently and does not allow anyone else to take over. Once inside he carefully sorts the mail into piles for each family member.
John eats his daily dinner of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with Diet Coke. He has followed this routine for over a decade after experiencing several negative incidents with food, leading him to prefer softer options. Diet Coke is his favorite drink, which he buys at work everyday to enjoy with his dinner. John east promptly at 4 p.m., before the rest of the household, sticking closely to his routine so he can finish before his scheduled iPad time at 5:30.
John begins his first iPad session of the day. During the week he watches from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and on weekends 12:30 to 2 p.m. and again later in the day. He enjoys watching wrestling and classic television show not always available on regular TV, including The Brady Brunch, Happy Days, and Baywatch. This time helps him relax, unwind, and regulate his energy after the day.
John’s yellow notebooks filled with handwritten pages copied from various writing books. He practices writing by copying words and sentences, developing his own system that makes sense to him. While spacing and structure may differ from conventional writing, the process is meaningful. He writes exclusively in pen often moving to a new page after a few sentences. When he wants something but feels hesitant to ask, he sometimes writes what Leah calls "ransom notes” to communicate his needs and leave them in spots she often is in.
John playfully wrestles with his nephew Andrew in the living room. Inspired by the wrestling he enjoys watching, John often reenacts matches with his nephews. These moments of interaction keep him active and engaged, while strengthening his sense of belonging within the family. John enjoys human interaction and he lives vigorously through these he watches so often he will wrestle with his nephews and act like he is in a wrestling match. John and the boys enjoy it because it keeps him active and makes feel like a part of the family.
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We provide the socialization for him, which can be a problem with those with Down Syndrome who do not have a family and support system around them.
John visits his childhood home in Minster, Ohio, just a few neighborhoods away from where he lives now. During his weekly drive around the lake with his sister and brother-in-law, he makes a point to stop and see “140,” the home where he lived with his parents for 35 years. John does not get out often beyond going to work, but he looks forward to these rides. After his parents passed away, he moved in with his sister and her family, but returning to his childhood home remains an important part of his routine and connection to the past.
