Every Wednesday, Ron Baugues, Kenny Krooswyk, and Chad Ratcliff join their three neighbors for a few hours of bowling and some friendly competition. Like most bowling leagues, the six men have shirts emblazoned with their team name, “Gutter Ballz,” and Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff even have matching bowling shoes and balls. Over cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, and French fries, they cheer each other on as they bowl strikes and pick up spares, and offer some good-natured ribbing when pins are left standing.

The bond between them is clear, and it is evident that Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff are more than just bowling buddies: they’re roommates. Since 2004, the three men have shared a home in a picturesque neighborhood on the rapidly-developing south side of Lafayette, but their friendships go back even further. Baugues and Krooswyk have been friends and roommates for over 25 years; the two lived together in a group home for individuals with developmental disabilities prior to moving to their first duplex together. The group home was also where Baugues and Krooswyk met and became friends with Ratcliff, who joined them shortly after they moved.

“They were all just such a good fit together,” said Jessica Murray, a case manager with Indiana Professional Management Group (IPMG) who works with Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff. As an IPMG Case Manager, Murray is one of the more than 430 IPMG professionals who advocate on behalf of over 12,700 Hoosiers receiving an Autism, Developmental Disabilities, or Support Services Waiver as part of Indiana’s Medicaid waiver program. IPMG’s person-centered case management services assist waiver recipients throughout the state with meeting their needs and achieving their dreams and life goals.

In the summer of 2009, the three men moved from their first duplex, which is just down the road from their current home. “It’s not just these three that are friends; their families know each other, too,” said Murray. “All of their families came together to help them move, and they really made it a fun day.”

Their tidy, three-bedroom duplex is the perfect combination of a warm, welcoming home and the ultimate bachelor pad, with a jukebox, a big-screen television used for watching movies and playing their Nintendo Wii, and two grills on the patio for cooking out on warm summer nights. Baugues’ and Ratcliff’s enthusiasm for bowling carries over into Wii Bowling, as well as other sports games such as baseball, tennis, and golf, while Krooswyk prefers to be more of a spectator in their virtual competitions. However, all three enjoy going out and hitting the indoor links for Monster Mini Golf, an 18-hole, glow-in-the-dark putt-putt course.

In addition to IPMG’s case management services, the men also receive support through their waivers that makes their selected living arrangement successful, including support for daily-living assistance. “They are very connected, very close,” said Robin Apperson of Indiana Mentor, a service provided selected by the men to assist them as support staff in their home. “If brothers could choose to be brothers, these three would be brothers.”

Though the three men enjoy their leisure time, they also take great enjoyment and pride in their time spent at work. Krooswyk and Ratcliff both work at the Wabash Center in Lafayette, Ind., while Baugues is currently looking for a job that would enable him to work with people. Baugues meets monthly with a State of Indiana-provided vocational rehabilitation coach, and hopes to find a job with hours in the morning so that he can spend time with Krooswyk and Ratcliff in the evenings. Murray noted that all three of the men are very hard workers with strong work ethics, and take great pride in earning their paychecks. “We like that we can pay our bills and then do what we want, because it’s our money,” chimed in Ratcliff.   

“There are definitely financial benefits to being roommates, because they’re all sharing the costs of rent, utilities, phone, food bills, everything, and then they have money left for leisure activities,” explained Murray. “That’s why they can go bowling and play Monster Mini Golf and other things like that. Their rent and other expenses are very minimal because they’re divided among three people.”

Rent and utility costs aren’t the only things shared. The three roommates also share the responsibilities of completing household chores and cooking meals. Each is responsible for cleaning his own room; a chore chart is used to divide tasks such as tidying the bathroom or sweeping the floors. Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff also utilize a cooking chart to share the responsibilities of preparing for and cooking meals. All three agreed on the need for compromise, even in meal planning, and work together to create menus for the week that ensure each of their individual tastes and preferences are met.

“They’ve learned how to split up their chores and responsibilities, as well as how to work with each other and work through their differences,” said Apperson, acknowledging the value of compromise for all roommates. “They’ve learned how to give and take, and they respect each other.”

One of the biggest factors in the success of the roommates is that the three men share many common interests. In addition to weekly games of bowling, Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff enjoy attending church on Monday nights and participating in Best Buddies, the local chapter of The Arc of Indiana, and Action Club, a monthly social and volunteer club. They also enjoy going to movies, fishing, and going out to eat. If a situation arises where one of the men is not as interested in participating in a certain activity or outing, the decision is respected and the efforts of support staff are divided to accommodate the need. According to Apperson, however, this is rarely needed. “If Chad and Kenny are interested in doing something or going somewhere, Ron is usually the first one to get his coat and head to the car.”

While the strong bond between Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff contributes greatly to their success as roommates, friendship is just one of many factors to consider when looking for roommates. “It’s good to have a common thread that unites potential roommates, whether it’s similar interests or similar personality traits, such as being very social or very introverted,” said Apperson. “Interview each other and do activities together before moving in so that everyone can see that the group will end up in unity rather than disunity.”

Along with considering social compatibility, Murray also noted that health and safety needs, such as accessibility, should be considered as well. “In our area, there are lots of houses and apartments available, but we always remind people to consider accessibility needs, especially in second floor apartments that don’t necessarily have elevators,” said Murray. “Houses are often the best way to meet the accessibility needs of all of the roommates, but they can also be more expensive, which is why having two or even three roommates can end up being the best situation for everyone.”

For others interested in choosing roommates as part of their living situation, Baugues, Krooswyk, and Ratcliff set an example of how a successful roommate situation can work. In addition to the financial benefits, roommates can ensure each person has the choice to live an enriched life that includes friends, community, and a quality standard of living.

One activity that the roommates enjoy the most is shopping through garage sales together every Saturday morning. Ratcliff described yard sale days as “all-day adventures” where they love looking for new music, t-shirts, and coffee mugs, and where he finds new stuffed animals to add to his collection. “We’re out the door by 8:15,” said Ratcliff, “And that’s late!”

The music found at garage sales adds to their ever-growing collection, and spans music of all genres. “There’s always music playing in the house,” said Apperson. “You might walk in and they’re playing oldies-but-goodies, one day, and the next you might walk in and hear bluegrass. It’s like potluck – you never know what you might get.”

While the jukebox is a handsome focal point in the living room, the men admit that they don’t use it to play music as often as they used to. They do agree that it looks great, and is a valued piece of the many decorations in the home, which includes items to decorate for every holiday. “They take a lot of pride in their home,” said Murray. “They’re always adding new things to it, and they keep it looking good.” The most recent addition, a marble and leather bar-style kitchen table, has become the community center of their home. Apperson agreed with Murray, adding that any time she arrives, whether it’s in the morning or later in the afternoon, the men can be found talking and laughing while seated around the kitchen table.

Hoosiers with developmental disabilities who choose to have roommates as part of their living situation can find success when the rights, needs, desires, and goals of each person are considered and respected. To Apperson, this is key to successful person-centered advocacy for any roommate arrangement. “They can do anything and everything they set their mind to, and the best way to help them achieve their goals of living in the community is to be an advocate for them.”