Most people take their ability to handle various aspects of daily living for granted. At times, however, a permanent or temporary mental or physical impairment might limit your ability to manage multiple activities to varying extents. In the past, this meant a limited personal satisfaction and leading a life of dependency on others. Thankfully, this is no longer the case.
Independent living centers based in Phoenix and beyond provide skills training and other improvement programs. This is designed to boost the independence of people with disabilities. The program covers relationships, homemaking, recreation, cooking, financial management, and adjusting to a disability, among other skills connected to your issue.
The skills learnt are meant to augment your full inclusion and integration into society’s mainstream. Other than skills training, the following are the other core services offered at independent living centers.
Advocacy
There are two advocacy types offered at independent living centers. These include individual and systems advocacy. Individual advocacy empowers you to know your rights and protect them within the relevant laws.
You can hence communicate and negotiate with service providers, employers, and other people to access specific benefits and accommodations. Systems advocacy, on the other hand, aims for a positive change in communities through awareness creation of the barriers faced by persons with disabilities.
Peer Support
This marks a fundamental service of independent living centers. Disability leads most people to shut out others and has a considerable negative impact on your psychological wellbeing. In peer support, mentors who have dealt with the same issue you are facing will share their experiences and become role models for your living.
Peer support also forms a place for brainstorming, sharing of successes and concerns, and problem-solving. It has been proven to make a significant difference in a person’s self-acceptance and awareness.
Referral and Information
When dealing with mental and physical impairments, getting the ideal services for you and your loved ones is ordinarily a hassle. Independent living centers thankfully offer referral and information services. These are contact points for clients and their families in locating their needed products and services. These include accessible and affordable transportation, accommodation, and adaptive equipment, among others.
Transition
One of the hardest times for people with physical and mental impairments is the transition from a nursing home or hospital to an independent lifestyle. The transition service in independent living centers is designed to help you with this. It provides considerable information and assistance to a patient, his/her loved ones, and the community to make the transition as hassle-free as possible.
While the above are the core services independent living centers offer, some go the extra mile. They might also provide counseling, rehabilitation, meals, accommodation, treatment, and housing modifications. The specific services a center offers are primarily dependent on its funding limitations and planning priorities. Either way, the services are mainly personalized, depending on an individual’s needs.
You are, therefore, sure that you or your loved one will get exactly what you need at the center. You need not lose any aspect of your independence following an accident or illness that leaves you with a disability.
