What Is The Life Community
LIFE is a unique non-profit program that has served adults with autism, learning and intellectual disabilities for over 25 years.
We offer flexible services to enable individuals to achieve their maximum capabilities within a nurturing and caring environment. Services include supports and resources in vocation/employment, education, social/community involvement, and daily living skills.
It is the LIFE goal that participant will continue to progress toward greater independence.
We welcome your inquiries about LIFE.
Independent Living Skills For Adults With Autism
Since each individual is unique in terms of their abilities, struggles, and goals, its important to seek a personalized program that tends to your needs or your loved ones needs.
For example, if you want to work towards finding a job, you will need to develop a wide range of skills, focusing on both your strengths and weaknesses. Since working provides the first step towards greater financial independence, this is an excellent starting point. Whether you wish to build communication skills or want to develop more job-specific skills, the vocational training program at the Adult Autism Center changes lives.
Another common goal among adults with autism is to move into their own place. However, there are many considerations before you or your loved one moves away from home. From self-care to home living skills, money management to cooking and nutrition, this can be a complex step.
These are important skills that all adults need to learn not just those with autism. However, when living with autism, certain aspects of this learning process can be more challenging than others.
Just some of the core skills you may focus on include:
- Self-help and self-awareness skills
- Domestic and personal care skills
- Money management and budgeting
- Employment skills
Individualized Service And Support
Our program is called Bridges because we help individuals bridge the gap between living with support from others and living on their own. We provide support for a given period of time, after which individuals can live successfully on their own or get continued assistance from our Supported Living program.
We get to know each person in our Bridges program and design services that leverage their strengths and help them build confidence for the future. We provide support with:
- Finding a place to live
- Finding a roommate
- Becoming aware of personal safety
- Maintaining health & wellness
- Managing stress
Bridges also provides services for individuals who live with their parents or other caregivers who may be unable to provide continued support. We assist with the transition into a home of the individuals choosing, such as:
- A Mentor home with our Family Home Agency program
- A home of his/her own
- A shared living space with roommate
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Assisted Living Housing Options For Disabled And Handicapped Seniors
Title II of the American Disabilities Act passed in 1990 demands equal housing opportunities for the disabled at state and local levels. Since the ADA was passed, housing and housing options have increased and improved dramatically for people with disabilities.
There are many types of disabilities impacting people in different ways and to varying degrees. Disabilities loosely fall into 4 categories:
- Physical disabilities affect a person physically often causing problems with mobility.
- Sensory disabilities affect the senses and include blindness and hearing loss.
- Intellectual disabilities cause difficulties in communication, learning and retaining information.
- Mental illness affects behaviors, thinking and emotional state.
Of these categories, typically only two impact housing needs physical and sensory.
The ADA has made a positive impact on the lives of the disabled and handicapped senior, ensuring that entrances into most senior housing options now include ramps and handrails and those with multiple stories have elevators. Therefore, housing options for disabled and handicapped seniors include:
What Is Assisted Living For Young Adults
The licensure of assisted living is determined and managed by the states. Though the type of support may be similar, young adults and their families can often struggle to find supportive housing due to restrictions in typical age-restricted assisted living.
However, there are options out there such as board and care homes, residential homes focused on specific types of care, traditional nursing homes, and assisted living or memory care facilities. These kinds of houses and facilities may be specifically dedicated to caring for young adults.
Older adults have complex needs that center around physical disabilities and cognitive impairment. Age-related diseases and conditions lead to the need for assisted living to help manage their care. Since the population is aging rapidly, assisted living communities development has increased across the country to meet the demand.
The options and solutions are much more complicated for younger adults since there is not a substantial financial incentive to provide housing for these individuals.
Older adults often have more financial stability due to pensions, social security, and homeownership. Younger adults may not have these financial safety nets.
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Choose Ocl Independent Living Disability Programs
Adults with developmental impairments benefit from our assistance in achieving self-sufficiency and inclusion in their local communities. Through the use of a Person-Centered Approach , we assist people in formulating their life visions and objectives we then collaborate with them, their loved ones, and community resources to help them realize their goals.
We use 4 major programs to help the people in our care: Residential Homes, Home Sharing, SIL and our Day Support Program. OCL offers support and opportunities which build self-development and interdependence with other Ottawa community members.
Visit us online or contact us at 254-9400 for additional information about our independent living disability programs.
Independent Living: Information And Resources For Adults With Disabilities
For Americans living with a disability, their everyday life looks different than it might for others. There might be several barriers in terms of resources, services, and an understanding about the limits that a disabled person may face day-to-day.
In order to promote a fulfilling living situation, independent living resources are available for people living with a disability. Independent living looks a bit different depending on each situation, so these resources are created in order for each person to reach their highest level of achievement and independence. Whether youre living with a disability, or youre the family member of someone with a disability, there are resources available to learn about the options of independent living.
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Areas Of Daily Living To Consider
Daily living skills are those common activities that most adults engage in as they manage their own daily living and quality of life. These include but arent limited to:
Using self-care skills
Eating, toileting, bathing, dressing
Participating in recreation and leisure activities
Demonstrating awareness of personal safety in the home
Taking medications as directed and seeking medical care when needed
Providing accurate information about ones medical condition to appropriate personnel
Making appropriate decisions concerning relationships
Understanding what is involved in managing a home
Demonstrating the ability to vote and make informed decisions
Using transportation in the community as independently as possible
Applying for adult services and accessing services/supports necessary for success in the community
Which of these daily living skills are currently challenges to your son or daughter? Which will always be a challenge? Which can be and need to be learned?Back to top
Althea Wellington Program Health Coordinator
Althea Wellington is the Program Health Coordinator at the Foundation for Independent Living, Inc. As a Program Health Coordinator, she ensures that all medical and pharmaceutical needs of the residents are met.
Althea started as a Medical Assistant in 2003 and continues her endeavor as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
Althea graduated from Everest Technical College in 2012 with Diploma as a Patient Care Tech.
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Inclusion In The Community
With a city bus stop and city park adjacent to Independence Landing, residents will have access to the greater city of Tallahassee and its offerings. The Southwood community provides amenities within walking and biking distance including doctor offices, restaurants, grocery and drug stores, and a multitude of potential job work sites. Florida law mandates that state agencies hire a percentage of their workforce from the disabled population and there are numerous state agencies within a short bus ride or walking distance from Independence Landing.Many civic and faith based organizations, including the Florida State University School, neighbors, and hobbyists are poised to engage with residents, providing life enrichment for all.
The Story
Great Websites To Help With Your Transition And Beyond
- Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Center on Transition Innovation 828-1851 828-2494 The Center on Transition Innovation provides information, resources, and demonstration projects that support youth with disabilities to gain access to integrated competitive employment to the fullest extent possible. Their website includes fact sheets on important transition topics, webcasts from state and national experts in the field, informational videos, and a Facebook page with the latest news about transition.
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Who Qualifies As Ordinarily Resident On
Ordinarily resident on-reserve means that individuals live on-reserve and do not maintain a primary residence off-reserve.
Individuals who are off-reserve to obtain care not available on-reserve are considered ordinarily resident on-reserve, and eligible for funding through the Assisted Living Program, if all eligibility criteria are met.
Independent Living Centers For Adults With Disabilities
Independent living centers for adults with disabilities are not residential locations where people with disabilities live, they are centers that provide assistance for those with disabilities looking to become more independent. What makes them so special, is that they have substantial involvement of people with disabilities within the center. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that these centers are to promote a philosophy of independent living including a philosophy of consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and individual and system advocacy, in order to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities, and the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of American society. These centers offer the tools needed to help those with disabilities live independently.
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Great Public Resources To Help With Your Transition
- Department of Education If you have an IEP, know your rights while you are in school beyond age 18.
- Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services A DARS counselor should be a part of your school transition team starting at age 14. Get them involved as early as possible to help with your work goals.
- Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired If you are blind or have a vision impairment a DBVI counselor should be part of your school transition team starting at age 14.
- DBVIs Programs LEAP and LIFE
- Community Service Boards A CSB is the point of entry into the publicly-funded system of services for mental health, intellectual disability, and substance abuse. They offer many services.
- Centers for Independent Living Centers for Independent Living provide services to individuals with significant disabilities CILs core services include advocacy, information and referral, peer counseling, independent living skills training, and transition services for youth.
- Work Incentive Planning and Assistance 968-7842) WIPA provides access to benefits planning and assistance services to all Social Security disability beneficiaries . WIPAs goal is to help beneficiaries with disabilities in meeting their work goals.
Day Programs For Adults With Disabilities
The following article is general information about Day programs for adults with disabilities. To see specific programs provided by residential Support Services, view the programs page here.
Day programs for adults with disabilities provide a place for older adults as well as younger adults to be active in the community, outside their homes.
They can also socialize with their peers while still having access to health and personal care services.
These service centers provide help for adults with dementia and Alzheimers disease, as well as Parkinsons, cerebral palsy, and many other disabilities.
Participation in these programs also creates time for caregivers to work outside the home and attend to their own needs, as well as other family members, or to simply enjoy travel on a short-term basis.
Many adults with disabilities wish to remain involved in the community and enjoy social settings, but they may also need help in caring for themselves or need the supervision that is provided at an adult day center.
An adult with a disability who lives at home with family members might be unable to care for themselves if left along during the day, so having the benefits that comes with an adult day center are crucial.
So, not only do these centers benefit the adults who have disabilities, but it also allows their caregivers to work outside the home during the day and still care for their loved ones after the work day is done.
General Costs
Activity Types
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Transitional Living Center For Troubled Youth
At The Crossroads is a unique, transitional living skills program that provides housing, and therapy, especially intended for young adults – while teaching them how to lead successful adult lives. Through a proprietary âPathwaysâ model, ATC provides young adults with an educational process to develop prosocial âlife skillsâ. These skills prepare young people for future jobs and success at college.
ATC recognizes the worth that each young individual has and takes pride in helping students to find their strengths, overcome their weaknesses, and to take accountability for their actions. At The Crossroads will help your son or daughter to recognize the greatness that they are capable of achieving.
Skills For Independent Living
DAWN Center for Independent Living offers a comprehensive, dynamic life skills program for teens and young adults with disabilities called Skills for Independent Living . SkIL is designed to expand a broad range of critical skills necessary to live a rewarding, independent life in the community. The four curriculum components of the program include SkIL for Daily Living, SkIL in the Community, SkIL for Employment, and SkIL for Self-Expression.
SkIL, which includes 72 hours of instructional time, is delivered during the school year during after-school hours with sessions taking place twice a week over a period of 4 5 months. Summer sessions will be coordinated based on scheduling and availability. Space is limited, so if you are interested, please contact us right away to inquire about reserving a spot.
Field trips into the community and visits from special guest speakers will reinforce curriculum topics and provide a truly fun, hands-on learning experience. Sessions also will include web-based interactive games, learning videos, and more. DAWN is committed to providing the SkIL participants with a supportive, energetic environment with diverse opportunities both for group interaction and plenty of one-on-one attention.
Learning themes include:
View/download the completeSkIL Curriculum Summary.
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How Do You Know If An Adult With An Intellectual Or Physical Disability Can Live Independently
Knowing whether an adult with an intellectual or physical disability can live independently can be a tough one to decide. The choice may be different for an adult with an intellectual disability than for someone with a physical disability. Lets look at each one separately. Of course, you or your adult child could have both an intellectual and physical disability.
What Is Independent Living
Independent living can be considered a movement, a philosophy, or specific programs. In the context of ACL, independent living programs are supported through funding authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended . Title VII, chapter 1 of the Act states the current purpose of the program is to promote a philosophy of independent living including a philosophy of consumer control, peer support, self-help, self-determination, equal access, and individual and system advocacy, in order to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities, and the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of American society.
Key provisions of the Act include responsibilities of the Designated State Entity , provisions for the Statewide Independent Living Councils , requirements for the State Plan for Independent Living , and Center for Independent Living standards and assurances.
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Assisted And Independent Living For Young Adults With Disabilities
Here are some questions for your young adult to think about during this huge transition. You can also use these questions to begin a conversation.
- Do I want to live entirely alone, and can I do that?
- What kinds of support do I need to be able to live alone?
- Do I want to live in a place that is very social with roommates and shared meals?
- Would I like to live some place with supervised activities and more than 50 roommates living in groups in individual cottages?
- Do I want to live in a situation where different parents buy or rent a group of apartments and their adult children live together?
- Do I want to live with another family and be treated like a member of their family? Or do I just want to have a room there and be on my own?
- Do I want to live with someone who does not have a disability or special health care needs or with someone who does?
- Do I have a friend that I would like to live with?
Once you have discussed some of the choices, you can begin searching for a place.
Care Options For Seniors And People With Disabilities
There are three levels of assisted living: assisted living communities, independent living communities, and home care. Home care brings assistance with daily living to the home, independent living offers a community with convenient amenities, and assisted living combines a community that offers convenient amenities with support for daily living tasks.
Assisted Living
Assisted living is a residential community for people who need help with everyday activities, such as bathing and dressing. Since residents usually live in their own private or semi-private apartments, these communities are able to offer a supportive atmosphere that is still independent. Residents can typically tailor the support services to match their needs, so they can perform more of less of their own daily tasks according to their current abilities.
Who its for: Assisted living communities are a good choice for seniors and people with physical disabilities who need help with tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating, taking medications, and using the restroom.
What it costs: According to theGenworth 2017 Cost of Care Survey, you can expect assisted living to cost about $3,750 per month.
Independent Living
Independent living offers a home or apartment in a community designed for seniors and people with disabilities. Residents live in private apartments or homes with access to common areas. It offers convenience and a low-maintenance lifestyle, but does not have the same level of support as assisted living.
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