How Shared Living Services Can Help People with Developmental Disabilities

 

Shared living is an opportunity where people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities come to live together and experience community life and support. This approach is aimed to prevent them from getting isolated while promoting independence. Shared living isn’t a facility or a group home but rather a program where health care service providers assist and support individuals of the community.

The goal of the shared living service is to provide a non-restrictive environment for individuals with intellectual disabilities or autistic disorders, so they can thrive and be independent in an inclusive environment.

Home Match

Before sending the individual off to a shared living home, finding the perfect match or home that includes all the requirements is crucial; before the individual moves to the home, it must be assured that the relationship works and that the match is mutual.

The individual needing support and the household should spend some time exploring and seeing if they’re the right match before moving forward.

Here’s how shared living services can assistindividuals with developmental disabilities:

Quality of Life

A shared living program can significantly improve the quality of life. Social life, building relationships, and finding a support network are at the heart of shared living. Individuals in a shared living environment will get to experience building meaningful relationships and be a part of a community.

Prevent Isolation

Shared living offers a home-like environment for the participants where they receive the needed care and support from mental health and behavioral health service providers. Under this model, they will not be alone or isolated and feel like a part of an inclusive community where they can grow and be more independent.

Source of Income for Caregivers

Shared living space benefits the individual with developmental disabilities and the caregiver. By opening up their home, they can share the cost of living and save more of their income.

If you’re looking for a shared living service for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, Assistance Plus can help you out!

They’re offering shared living services in Maine through the MaineCare Program,which is supported by the Department of Health and Human Services.

They also provide other services like home health care, mental health care, and behavioral health services in Wilton.

Contact their team for more information and details about them and their services today!