Finding a home isn’t easy; imagine finding a place to live if one has a disability!rnSupported Living Services (SLS) consist of a wide scope of services for adults with developmental disabilities who, through the Individual Program Plan (IPP) process, choose to live alone or live with, or close to other people like themselves; in homes they themselves own or lease in the community. These programs cater to individual need and include access to support 24 hours a day if the need arises. rnSupported Living Services: Decent, affordable and accessible housing for people with disabilities. There are two main forms of Supported Living Services:
• Where one shares a house or lives in a small block of flats with other people and have support from a care giver to meet their needs; which could be for up to 24 hours a day. In this program, the support one gets is provided on-site with the accommodation, this is called accommodation-based support.
• Where one lives in his own property, or has a flat within a group of similar properties. The individual receives daily or weekly support to meet his needs, which could be for a few hours from a care giver. This program is called floating, or outreach support.rnHow to get supported living?rnTo set up or move into a supported living service one will need support from someone such as a social worker or care manager. They will clarify whether he is eligible for support services and whether supported living would suit his needs. They will help the support provider work out the best way to get the most appropriate accommodation and support that meets his needs. rnDisability Support servicesrnLiving with a disability should not prevent someone from leading an active and enjoyable life; in addition to being supported to get out and about in their local community. Understanding the individual, their interests, background and personal history has been crucial for setting up disability support services. These help in achieving choice and control over disabled person’s basic needs such as being able to access public transport, maintain their social and cultural life as well as to carry on with daily living tasks like shopping and cleaning. One such developmental disability is Autism Spectrum disorder; which is a condition related to brain development that impacts how a person perceives and socializes with others; causing problems in social interaction and communication including limited and repetitive patterns of behaviour. The supported living services not only provide adults with such developmental disabilities with homes of their own and support them to live independently, they also make sure that they are provided with support and care, skills for life and jobs and connections with their community. Some have been in hospitals for years but now are enjoying their own place in the community. Health disparities among adults with developmental disabilities are also on the rise. Ventilator Support Service provides accommodation and high-level 24-hour support for people who are chronically dependent on mechanical ventilation. rnJobs for People with DisabilitiesrnThe Disability Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against disabled people in employment, including recruitment, fine prints of employment, and unlawful termination. In many developing countries, it is upon the government to lead by example in including people with disabilities in the nation’s workforce. They have programs like Disability Employment Services which provides:
• Job search support, such as resume development, training in interview skills, and help in looking for suitable jobs.
• Vocational training and other employment-related assistance.
• Support when initially placed into a job, including on the job training; and co- worker and employer support.
• Access to help with workplace modifications, support services, and interpreting in the workplace.rnIt has been observed that disabled people have the ability to channelize their skills into a particular area they are passionate about and work very diligently towards it. Predominantly they are highly motivated and excel in their work. For more details, visit:
www.sunshine.orgrn