All Independence Requires Support
If independence meant doing everything alone, almost none of us would qualify. March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month and it’s a good time to pause and reflect on what independence actually means. The Oxford dictionary defines independence as “the state of wanting or being able to do things for yourself and make your own decisions.” However, independence does not come from doing everything alone. It isn’t measured in how little or how much support someone needs.
Independence is having the right support in place and having the freedom to choose your own supports. Needing support isn’t a weakness. No one is 100% independent. Most people rely on support every day, even if they do not think of it that way. Other than someone living off grid in a mountain cabin growing all their own food, every person is reliant on outside support to at least some degree. We all fall on a continuum, where every person gets some measure of support.
Developmental Disability Awareness
Imagine this: A person uses reading glasses to help read fine print. They open an app that helps track their schedule. Then they use a voice to text software program to reply to emails. Those are all various kinds of support that help us navigate life. Now consider those same tools being used by someone with a developmental disability.
Having developmental disabilities simply makes certain supports more essential, but it isn’t a failing. Rather than judging someone who needs various accommodations as weak, or someone to be pitied, we should be concerned with: “is this person getting the right support they need to live the life they want?” That is the kind of thinking behind the work of the Aging and Disability Resource Center at NH Care Collaborative. The focus is on long-term support that respects people’s independence and freedom to choose.
Support Helps Protect IndependenceWhen support works well, it gives the individual choices; whether it is parents finding daycare that allows them to work and provide for their family or an individual with developmental disabilities getting access to supported employment as their route to being productive and contributing to society.
The right support system looks at each person as an individual with unique abilities, needs, desires, and goals. It provides help where it is wanted, which frees the person up to focus on what is most important to them.
This is where organizations like the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at NH Care Collaborative come in. Their role is not to decide for people, but to support people as they make their own decisions and move forward in their own way. Our ADRC options counselors help residents investigate housing options, find alternatives to nursing home placement, afford prescriptions, connect to legal advice, and much more.
Many people with developmental disabilities are eligible for Medicare benefits including medical care and other health based solutions. The ADRC conducts a monthly New to Medicare workshop to help interested residents learn about parts A, B, C, and D coverage, who is qualified for coverage, how to apply, and what your options are. Call us for details. 603-357-1922
Ways you can help
Independence requires collective effort. You can do your part by:
Advocating:
- When town meeting is voting on funding for various services, advocate for services, support, and accommodations for all residents.
- Speak up and educate people who use ableist language and attitudes.
- Volunteer with programs that provide transportation services.
Accommodating:
- Do public spaces make accommodations for developmentally disabled children and adults such as sensory-friendly public spaces with low lighting and designated quiet times?
- Is there signage on public buildings that use visual clues, large fonts, and clear language?
- Work for affordable, accessible housing developments.
Ask for Help
Getting help is not a sign of weakness or failure. Everyone needs support, it’s just matter of what types. There is help available. Reach out the Aging and Disability Resource Center and talk to an options counselor. Anyone can call and get information about what is available. 603-357-1922. There is no cost.