My Future By Casey Stewart

Topics to Cover The General Idea Physical Description Safety First Services & Special Needs Transportation In and Out Freedom to live my life safely Education & Recreation Ideas to make this a reality

The General Idea ! Do you live where you feel accepted? Contribute to your community? Have real friends, freedoms, relationships? Come and go when and where you want? Feel safe in your environment? Decide who you want to assist you? Select the activities & work you want? Do you decide who you want to live with? Have control over your life? I want what you have !

Feel Accepted Contribute to Community Have Friends & Relationships Select Activities & Work I want Feel Accepted Contribute to Community Have Friends & Relationships Select Activities & Work I want

The Physical Description Freedom to come & go from your apartment and the development. Freedom to come & go from your apartment and the development. Ability to contribute to my neighbors. Ability to contribute to my neighbors. Co-Ed buildings – Life is Co-Ed Co-Ed buildings – Life is Co-Ed Graduated Living / Residence styles. Graduated Living / Residence styles. –Dorms - Apartments –Duplex - Married couple Section My privacy, my own quiet place. My privacy, my own quiet place. Protection I cannot provide myself. Protection I cannot provide myself.

Dorms - Apartments – Duplexes Married Couple Section

Safety First ! Screen residents and employees for criminal records. (I am vulnerable) Security Alarm – Intercom in each apartment (I frequently need assistance.) Someone to check I arrived to and from my destination safely. A place to go when I am sick and cannot take care of myself. Hurricane Protection and Plan.

Safety First Security – Medical

Services & Special Needs The main meal at the end of the day. The main meal at the end of the day. A place to go when I am sick and need additional help during the day or night. A place to go when I am sick and need additional help during the day or night. Help with my daily medications. Help with my daily medications. Someone to be sure I come and go safely and on schedule. Someone to be sure I come and go safely and on schedule.

Open Cafeteria Dining and a Place to meet with Friends

A personal advocate to help me with my wants, desires and planning for: H Household chores. Grocery and general shopping. Scheduling my work and transportation. Scheduling my activities and transportation. Budget, Banking & Bills. Paperwork & forms. Go with me to Doctor Appointments Follow up on all of these items to be sure they are completed as planned. (A real checks and balance system)

Household Chores Budgeting, Scheduling, Coordinating

Transportation In and Out Getting around the community: Getting around the community: My bicycle My bicycle My electric scooter My electric scooter My golf cart My golf cart Gateway to the outside: Gateway to the outside: The Village Bus to take us to work, church, the mall, movies, ball games, dances, bingo, car shows, bowling, drama club, cooking classes, a gym and everywhere else. The Village Bus to take us to work, church, the mall, movies, ball games, dances, bingo, car shows, bowling, drama club, cooking classes, a gym and everywhere else.

Transportation In and Out

Freedom to live my life safely Freedom to have friends over to my apartment to hang out! A party to celebrate whatever. To date that special girl. To get married & live as a couple. No curfews, Im 27.

Dates, relationships and Marriage...

Freedom to travel around the development at will. Voice my opinion at Property Management meetings. Freedom to participate with my church & outside activities. Freedom to have a best buddy. Freedom to train and work at a job of my choice.

A voice at our management meeting Have a Best Buddy Have meaningful employment

Education & Recreation A book club with the Senior citizens that live in our community. Best Buddies with College Students who can facilitate trips & projects. Classes on dating, relationships, sexuality, and marriage. Classes on cooking and dancing. Couples counseling.

Book Clubs, Drama Class, Best Buddies and Cooking Class (just a few)

Ideas to make this a Reality ! By mixing ALL Abilities and Seniors in one community we can help one another and grow. We all have strengths and weakness. We are all on a different learning curve. We all need assistance of some kind. We are more alike than you think !

We can help each other !

Lets Review the Options... Institutions Services – No Choice of service No Choice of provider Safety – They control Socialization on site No choice of individual outside activities No outside friendships No choice in living style Society had an answer how to take care of people who had varying abilities.

The answer to the Institutions... Group Homes Services – No Choice of services No Choice of providers Safety – The group home controls Socialization on site is limited to the few residents Limited choice of outside activities (not individualized) No outside friendships No choice in living style Good for some and too restricted for others !

The answer to Group Homes... Independent Living Full choice of service Full choice of providers Safety – On your own Socialization –on your own Activities – You decide Outside friendships – you decide Choice of Living Styles – Total independence Lots of choice but they suffers from isolation. Security and safety have been overlooked with this option...

Determined to evolve we pursue yet a NEW and IMPROVED option... The Planned Community Choice of Services Choice of Providers Safety – Provided Socialization – built in and can go out Activities – You decide Outside Friendships – You decide Choice of Living Styles- Graduated Living Styles Opportunities for marriage Opportunities for community contribution

A Chance of a Lifetime... Written laws grant rights that cannot be easily reversed. This is your opportunity to demand the quality our DD citizens deserve.. All of the developments should be required to offer all living styles so people can progress to their highest ability of independence and help each other along the way. All developments should include residents with and without disabilities. Seniors are perfect match. They have many of the same needs. They have the time & lots of knowledge to share. Their abilities & inabilities complement the abilities & inabilities of a person with DD.

Laws you help write... Rights you grant... You cant take back...

Landlord Services should provide: Screen Residents & Employees for criminal records Security Alarm / Intercom assistance Building Maintenance Village Bus Transportation to the outside community Clinic – Day and Night services Hurricane Protection Cafeteria Style dining room – meals optional

Support Services New Med Waiver Service, The Advocate. A service to coordinate and oversee implementation of individual services for person with DD. All support services to be provided by outside independent providers to promote competitive quality service controlled by the individual and not the landlord.

This is our chance..... To come together... To make a difference... To Speak up for those who cannot... To Advocate for a better Life... A safe Life.... A Full Life.... Allow us to be ALL that we can be !