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Saturday 27 June 2015

Benefits Of Group Homes For Developmentally Disabled Adults

By Edna Booker


There is a myriad of mental illnesses which result into varying degrees of disabilities. Some of the commonly encountered ones include autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy among others. Persons with mental disabilities are often faced with numerous challenges in their day to day life. When living in the general population, they may either face stigma of may fail to have their special needs addressed. Group homes for developmentally disabled adults provide a new lease of life to these individuals.

One of the biggest challenges that persons with the developmental disability is the fact that they cannot take care of simple tasks relating to personal care. This includes grooming, feeding, using the toilet and other survival skills. There is a heavy dependence on other family members which may result in inconveniences and friction among the family members.

The duration of stay in the homes is variable; it may be a fixed duration or an undefined period of time. The main determinants of the length of stay are the severity of disability as well as rate of response to training. The main focus should on improvement rather than duration.

The success of the program is determined by, among many other factors, a healthy relationship within the family. Sending a person to a group home should not be a way of getting rid of them. It is important to organise regular visits as a show of solidarity. Additionally, these visits are an opportunity to assess any gains that have been made. Identifying an accessible group home becomes very important in this regard.

Ensure that the chosen facility is licenced to carry out its operations. The authority responsible for the licensing is the Department of Human Services. Since there are different types that exist with some differences on the range of services offered, there is a need to compare several of them first. Some persons may have a medical condition coexisting with the developmental abnormality. If this is true for your case ensure that it can be handled in the home.

Each residential unit is required to have a day activity centre. Day activities are designed to help patients undergo mental training and acquire survival skills. There is also a need to have patients undergo vocational job trainings or placement services. When properly implemented, this activities help with growth of the individuals and their subsequent integration into the community.

Most persons living with developmental disability are just as talented as everyone else. The only challenge is that they do not have an opportunity to discover these talents. Enrolling into the homes provides this opportunity and opens up a world of opportunities to the disabled individuals. Some even secure normal employment and can work alongside their colleagues albeit with some challenges.

Developmental disability is usually associated with significant limitation in carrying out simple tasks. Some of these tasks are essential for survival meaning that people with the disabilities often need assistance to carry them out. Sending such a person to a group home should be viewed positively as it provides an opportunity to lead a better life.




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