Child with disability
- Thread starter jwr62
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Teacher Terry
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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- Jun 17, 2014
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I don't know how old your child is but many people with disabilities are able to work, live independently, etc and there are services that can help with these types of goals. I worked in this field for 24 years.
Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
++++++1
I have seen how better a person can adjust/learn to live independently or with some supervision the earlier in life they start (after age 18).
It's important as I've never met any family where the parents who keep a disabled son/daughter at home were immortal.
I'm sure it makes a difference the type of mental disability as to the availability of services, but be aware there can be waiting lists of 5 years or more, once you find out exactly what/where you want services.
He does have services for day service and lives with a family... all through the government help. We get him every weekend or every other weekend. ...Even though there is the money help at times it does not cover everything...... there has got to be other families dealing with this issue....
Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Our postings have crossed, but I'll leave this here.
Does he go to a center like a sheltered workshop, 5 days a week, like a job type habit ?
Does he get there by public transport ?
I have experience working with developmental delay disabilities (mental retardation is the old term) in residential settings and can speak to that.
My clients (the residents) went out 5 days per week to "work" , some the "work" was activity centers, others went to sheltered workshops where they sometimes did real piecework, some went to real jobs - like your grocery bagger.
The work side of their life was to graduate to higher job levels so they could get a real job (like grocery bagger, office mail clerk, etc).
The residential side was group home, where they took turns cooking meals for everyone (12 people) with supervision/assistance/teaching of staff, take care of their own bedroom/laundry/hygiene. For some that was a good as it would get, staff were present 24/7 but the idea was to have a home atmosphere, so the home was within a normal residential neighborhood (actually a nice trendy walk to shops type area).
Some graduated to the apartment program which means staff come by to visit 1-2 times per week depending upon need. The residents here would be 4 in a 4 bedroom townhouse or 2 in a 2 bedroom apartment. Many of these residents had graduated from group homes and could take care of the simpler things in life, and of course could always phone for assistance when something odd cropped up (like neighbor cheating them, or landlord issues).
Does he go to a center like a sheltered workshop, 5 days a week, like a job type habit ?
Does he get there by public transport ?
I have experience working with developmental delay disabilities (mental retardation is the old term) in residential settings and can speak to that.
My clients (the residents) went out 5 days per week to "work" , some the "work" was activity centers, others went to sheltered workshops where they sometimes did real piecework, some went to real jobs - like your grocery bagger.
The work side of their life was to graduate to higher job levels so they could get a real job (like grocery bagger, office mail clerk, etc).
The residential side was group home, where they took turns cooking meals for everyone (12 people) with supervision/assistance/teaching of staff, take care of their own bedroom/laundry/hygiene. For some that was a good as it would get, staff were present 24/7 but the idea was to have a home atmosphere, so the home was within a normal residential neighborhood (actually a nice trendy walk to shops type area).
Some graduated to the apartment program which means staff come by to visit 1-2 times per week depending upon need. The residents here would be 4 in a 4 bedroom townhouse or 2 in a 2 bedroom apartment. Many of these residents had graduated from group homes and could take care of the simpler things in life, and of course could always phone for assistance when something odd cropped up (like neighbor cheating them, or landlord issues).
I do not have a child with a disability but I consulted with an agency that supported people with intellectual disability. During the interview process with parents, the one thing that stood out to me was the lack of planning for the transition period when the parents can't support their child. Intellectually, everyone knew the day would come when their child would need someone else to care for him/her. But unlike children who 'leave the house at 18/after high school', intellectually disabled do not have the same type of target point. I am passing this on as it was a surprising finding for me (as an outsider to this community) and perhaps will help people think more about this inevitable situation.
