Creating a Home: Genuine Person-Centred Approaches

1
Creating a HomeGenuine Person-Centred
Approaches

• JOHN LORD
• Presentation to
• Common Threads
• National Conference of the Canadian Down Syndrome
  Society, May 14, 2005

2
From Residential Services to Homes for People

• Three trends have influenced the growing
  interest in moving away from formal residential
  services toward homes
• New Paradigm Approaches
• De-linking Housing and Support
• Person-Centred Approaches

3
Characteristics of New Paradigm

• Self-determination
• Community
• Self-determination and community, when
  understood and implemented effectively, create a
  bridge to citizenship for people with
  disabilities.

4
The Importance of De-Linking Housing and Support

• When housing and supports are linked housing
  tends to be standardized
• supports cannot be portable
• When housing and supports are de-linked
• the focus begins to be more individualized
• people can move and take their supports
  with them (portability)

5
Qualities of Person-Centred Approaches

• The home is based on the persons dreams for
  their life
• Person as well as family and friends design and
  personalize the home
• Person (and Family) exercise all decision-making
  over the home
• Supports are tailored/individualized to fit with
  the persons lifestyle

6
Insights from Research and Experience

• Families and individuals have shown they can
  effectively govern their homes
• Standardized models are expensive and often like
  mini-institutions
• Quality of life and health are enhanced when
  people have control and participation
• Person-centred practices have shown to be
  successful (process and outcomes)

7
Four Key Things That Enable Families to Create
Homes

• Intention and understanding
• A strong support network / circle
• Independent facilitation and planning
• Flexible or individualized funding

8
Options My Daughter has Experienced

• We first recognized that in her twenties, she
  should have the opportunity to experience options
  (as her sisters are)
• She has experienced
• Living with three room mates
• Living with one room mate
• Living partially on her own
• And always revisiting her dreams.

9
Four Options for Families

• Create a home with your son/daughter and your
  support network / circle
• Create a Project with other families (e.g.
  NABORS, Deohaeko)
• Create a circle of families for support, but
  each family pursues individual approach, with
  possibility of sharing facilitation/support
• Find a residential service provider that is
  flexible and innovative