Comments on: Scoop Essentials: In Search Of Home Sweet Home http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/05/12/home-sweet-home/3196/ Developmental Disability News Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:55:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Mary Jane Sufficool http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/05/12/home-sweet-home/3196/comment-page-1/#comment-399 Mary Jane Sufficool Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:51:12 +0000 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/?p=3196#comment-399 I am part of a group here in Virginia Beach, VA that is starting a cohousing community to give home-ownership opportunities to low-to-moderate income families, individuals and seniors. By separating supports from housing we hope to give people true independence and neighbors who will care for them, much as the neighbors they had growing up took an interest in them. All our units will be universally designed for visitability and there will be no separation by age, income or ability. Creative use of microboards to purchase these units will not jeopardize entitlements. I am part of a group here in Virginia Beach, VA that is starting a cohousing community to give home-ownership opportunities to low-to-moderate income families, individuals and seniors. By separating supports from housing we hope to give people true independence and neighbors who will care for them, much as the neighbors they had growing up took an interest in them. All our units will be universally designed for visitability and there will be no separation by age, income or ability. Creative use of microboards to purchase these units will not jeopardize entitlements.

]]> By: suelowery http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/05/12/home-sweet-home/3196/comment-page-1/#comment-301 suelowery Wed, 20 May 2009 01:09:57 +0000 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/?p=3196#comment-301 Thanks for the ideas. Son is graduating from Job Corps and fortunately has a lot of these skill such as shopping and washing clothes down. But he needs just a little bit of help to make it independently especially with money management. I have found it impossible to locate families with young men that might be potential roommates. I have contacted a lot of agencies that deal with people who have developmental delays, and I mean a lot, and so far have not found anyone. I have started a support group for parents and young adults with autism/aspergers and so far, it is all parents of younger children. I think that by this age and time, many of the parents have just given up and don't even try or reach out because services are so far and few between. It is a delicate subject to put up a posting on a bulletin board at a church, so I have been networking like crazy to try and find some one. Job Corps does an good job of both vocational and life skills training. It is a wonderful, little known resource. Thanks for the ideas. Son is graduating from Job Corps and fortunately has a lot of these skill such as shopping and washing clothes down. But he needs just a little bit of help to make it independently especially with money management. I have found it impossible to locate families with young men that might be potential roommates. I have contacted a lot of agencies that deal with people who have developmental delays, and I mean a lot, and so far have not found anyone. I have started a support group for parents and young adults with autism/aspergers and so far, it is all parents of younger children. I think that by this age and time, many of the parents have just given up and don’t even try or reach out because services are so far and few between. It is a delicate subject to put up a posting on a bulletin board at a church, so I have been networking like crazy to try and find some one.

Job Corps does an good job of both vocational and life skills training. It is a wonderful, little known resource.

]]> By: twinkie1cat http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/05/12/home-sweet-home/3196/comment-page-1/#comment-294 twinkie1cat Mon, 18 May 2009 04:21:53 +0000 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/?p=3196#comment-294 For Sue Lowery, Try to find him a roommate from his vocational program. Most of these high functioning folks really don't need anyone living with them, just someone to call on when they have a question who visits a few times a week, perhaps to take them grocery shopping (one of the most difficult independent living skills). There needs to be a push in these vocational and transitional programs to be less work oriented and more independent living oriented. Only about 20% of cognitively disabled people are usually employed and I am sure it is worse right now. However, many can live on their own in subsidized housing with SSI. Get an attorney to push his benefits over the line. Programs need to be teaching cooking,shopping, emergency response, domestic living, transportation, talking to medical providers and other skills so the developmentally disabled can live on their own. How would you feel if you had a good job and savings, but could not move out your own because you can't cook and wash your clothes? Our kids move out at an older age, often around 30, but they eventually do want their freedom and can be miserable without being able to do so. Vocational training is compatible with the mind of the nation that says everyone who can work should and independent living skills can be expensive and labor intensive to provide, but no one spends 24 hours a day at work! Just last week two developmentally disabled women in Baton Rouge Louisiana, one who has Downs and the other who uses a wheelchair and is visual impaired, were sold a Habitat for Humanity house. They did the sweat equity along with the people who watch after them. They have been friends and roomates for many years and have been through the usual round of institutions, group homes and apartments and now they have their own. Now they have a no-interest mortgage that will cost them about $400 per month. For Sue Lowery, Try to find him a roommate from his vocational program. Most of these high functioning folks really don’t need anyone living with them, just someone to call on when they have a question who visits a few times a week, perhaps to take them grocery shopping (one of the most difficult independent living skills). There needs to be a push in these vocational and transitional programs to be less work oriented and more independent living oriented. Only about 20% of cognitively disabled people are usually employed and I am sure it is worse right now. However, many can live on their own in subsidized housing with SSI. Get an attorney to push his benefits over the line.

Programs need to be teaching cooking,shopping, emergency response, domestic living, transportation, talking to medical providers and other skills so the developmentally disabled can live on their own. How would you feel if you had a good job and savings, but could not move out your own because you can’t cook and wash your clothes? Our kids move out at an older age, often around 30, but they eventually do want their freedom and can be miserable without being able to do so.

Vocational training is compatible with the mind of the nation that says everyone who can work should and independent living skills can be expensive and labor intensive to provide, but no one spends 24 hours a day at work!

Just last week two developmentally disabled women in Baton Rouge Louisiana, one who has Downs and the other who uses a wheelchair and is visual impaired, were sold a Habitat for Humanity house. They did the sweat equity along with the people who watch after them. They have been friends and roomates for many years and have been through the usual round of institutions, group homes and apartments and now they have their own. Now they have a no-interest mortgage that will cost them about $400 per month.

]]> By: suelowery http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/05/12/home-sweet-home/3196/comment-page-1/#comment-280 suelowery Tue, 12 May 2009 20:38:14 +0000 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/?p=3196#comment-280 This story came to me at such an opportune time--right between banging my head on the wall and throwing in the towel. Our son, 24, has graduated from a vocational program and while he will get job coaching and mentoring, it is the living situation that is the sticking point. He is very high functioning, but would do so well with a life skills coach and roommate(s) of similar abiilties. Unfortunately, most "group homes" are for lower functioning abilities or unaffordable. He straddles the fence for qualifying for medicaid due to DD. But this story gave me so much hope and some new "walls to bang my head against! LOL, thanks for the information. This story came to me at such an opportune time–right between banging my head on the wall and throwing in the towel. Our son, 24, has graduated from a vocational program and while he will get job coaching and mentoring, it is the living situation that is the sticking point. He is very high functioning, but would do so well with a life skills coach and roommate(s) of similar abiilties. Unfortunately, most “group homes” are for lower functioning abilities or unaffordable. He straddles the fence for qualifying for medicaid due to DD. But this story gave me so much hope and some new “walls to bang my head against! LOL, thanks for the information.

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