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. Residents 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 resident's birthday is celebrated with a community party, and seasonal decorations reflect the traditions we all hold dear. While most residents spend holidays with their families, those for whom this is not practical are welcome to remain and celebrate with resident staff and other residents.

Every attempt is made to create a standard of living for all residents equal to that of their non-handicapped siblings. Residents 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 residents 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 residents on their fifth 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 residents 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 residents.

Living Options at Down Home Ranch

The Village is home to 17 Ranchers living in four homes and their Resident Assistants (RAs), Founders Jerry and Judy Horton, two staff spouses, and three happy dogs. Four more Ranchers and their RA live at the Spur Ranch, comprising the southern portion of Down Home Ranch. A new home is under construction for these young men to move into the Village and they are hoping to be in their new home by Thanksgiving.

The five homes that will 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 residents must be eligible for Medicaid and have a Determination of Mental Retardation (DMR) to qualify for residency.

Each home houses four to five 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.

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 been accepted for future residency when a vacancy occurs, matching as best we can the resident to the living situation, house, staff, and other residents. We want every resident to 1) be able to benefit from life in the Down Home Ranch community, and 2) to be able to contribute to it in the setting currently available.

Criteria for Residency

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