Challenge the Assumptions

Way back in 1985 I became an executive director of a community living department. While I was with that department, we tripled the size of supported independent living, started up life sharing, and started the first homes in the community that were accessible to someone who used a wheelchair.

I have told stories about that work before, but one thought about it has come to mind recently. We have gotten a little off track in our work with adults.

Within the children’s transition homes at KenCrest, we start discharge planning when we meet the person. Our goal is to get them to a stable and loving home. We don’t do that with adults. We don’t consistently work with the person and their families about imagining possibilities.

I want to talk about an old dream which came true then, and could come true now, if we challenge assumptions.

In 1989, I worked for a private institution. The waiver arrived with money, the money to fund some dreams, like the dream of an apartment of your own. The money paid the deposits, provided money for furniture purchase etc. It was great since at that time our goal was to help a person live in the least restrictive environment possible. That means that people are on their own as much as possible. In those days, the people we supported were excited by the possibilities. They had been waiting for us to clear the way. The people we supported, and their families, were not skeptical about our ability to provide the right support. We knew exactly what someone would need to know to live without consistent staffing within eyesight. We had routines and processes to provide the right support at the right time. People flourished! I know it worked. I met the people, heard their stories, got the message, I am not going back.

Living on your own is a practical dream. What does a person need to know, and how can we help them get there, in order for that dream to come true? When can we say this person is safe and happy at home?

In fact, the list of prerequisite skills is not very long. What would you guess was on that list? If you have gone out on your own, what skills did you have and which ones did you learn after you moved? In the next blog, I will tell you about our list. I will also comment on what has changed since 1985, which might make the list shorter.

Click here to enter your guesses! Don’t forget to leave your name. I will enter you all into the raffle of the month. The prize? Two people will win $200!