SERVICES
The Foundation for Independent Living offers personalized Independent Life Skills Training, Coaching and Support:
The Foundation for Independent Living serves the specific needs of high functioning learning disabled young adults, at least 18 years old, who don’t require the structure of a group home, but still need guidance and supervision to live on their own. Toward the end, program goals aim at providing a residence separate from family, but assuring a level of supervision that will meet all crisis and emergency needs.
The other objectives of the Foundation are providing social opportunities for residents, helping them function in a competitive employment environment and training for later life when direct family support is no longer available. Basic requirements for admission are a diagnosis of a learning disability, a recent psychological evaluation and an assessment of independent living skills. Our program is designed to stress all the elements in a normal routine of life—waking up by one’s self; preparing meals, going to work, making a budget, paying bills and recreational pursuits. In cases where residents still require practice in establishing a normal routine, the program offers individual training.
Daily scheduled trainings include:
Personal Finances
Residents meet with staff to complete their weekly budget as well as organize and pay any monthly bills.
Personal Scheduling
Time management training is a key component to our success. Every resident has a schedule, personalized to fit their needs.
Vocational Assistance
Community Orientation
Training to enhance pedestrian skills and familiarity within our local community.
Household Maintenance
Food Shopping/Meal prep
Health and Fitness
Emergency Management
Community Mobility
Our fleet of vehicles transports residents to and from work, airport, stores, weekend activities, etc.
Why Your Learning Disabled Young Adult Should Be a Part Of The Foundation for Independent Living Program
- To achieve a lifestyle as close to normal as possible, so your child can take pride in himself or herself.
- To provide your child with the opportunity to reach the highest potential for independence and to feel that security doesn’t mean depending on parents or other adults for daily needs.
- To learn to adjust to other people and get along.
- To feel joy in being accepted by one’s peers, to take pride in self-improvement and in helping one’s friends to learn to share.
- To learn to take responsibility for one’s own actions and decisions—not to make excuses or blame anyone or anything else for mistakes.
- To provide your child with a sense of “family” in the program which eases the transition from parent’s home to apartment living – a “family” with warmth, friendliness, learning and sharing along with a healthy sense if competition in moving through levels of achievement.
- To provide real independent living- not stimulation of the real world. This never can be achieved by living at home because there is no incentive for accepting responsibility.
- To begin the normal progression into adulthood by permitting your child to create a home environment away from parents – not to love them less, but to lessen their emotional dependence on them.
- To assure proper planning for the inevitable – for the time when parents will no longer be here to guard their child or control his or her life – and to achieve peace of mind by knowing you have done something responsible and far-sighted for your child by giving him or her the opportunity to learn, grow and have inner security.
