The Dream Home:
In our experience, a major fear of the parents is that their child is not fully understood or celebrated and that when they die, no one will care for them. Through our programs, we feel we can relieve a large part of this fear. We can do this both by setting them up for their greatest level of independence/employment as well as building a network of people who genuinely care for their well-being. In 4-10 years, we intend to fully realize our vision to care for those with intellectual disabilities and their families, which is to create a home or living quarters suited to their individual needs.
Fundamentally, the Dream Home will be a safe living space for clients to live semi-independently. With a 24-hour live-in caretaker, the Dream Home allows people with intellectual disabilities to live away from home, with friends, while working a job that contributes to paying rent, utilities, and food. The exact budgeting and logistics will vary based on the living space, people involved, and donations received, but the underlying dream is constant: to create a safe, livable space for people with intellectual disabilities to thrive.
The possibilities are endless as to how the living situation will look. Possibilities include having two or more houses on a property with a “caretaker house” that people can contact or visit in case of emergency. There could also be supervision in the house as people get ready for work, and at night around dinner/evening time. Some parents have already volunteered to be caretakers for free. This can be a wonderful way to improve the community during retirement while maintaining a presence in their children’s lives.
The Dream Home, depending on the eventual living space, could include a dog-boarding/daycare center, a farm, an affiliated café/restaurant, etc. The possibilities are going to largely depend on location, partnerships, and the people involved.