One of our members is making the transition from child to adult. It is a huge change for anyone but for someone with a disability it becomes monumental. The main one is that the source and amount of funding is very different and the amounts decrease significantly. The second one is that there is no one out there to help you through this transition. You find out about things by the hit and miss method. If you are lucky, you hit and if you are not lucky you miss. If you have developmental issues the Community Living Society is there to help but if you have physical challenges there is no one at present that can help one through the process. Because Emily is going through this change right now, we asked her to document the whole process in our blog. We hope it will stimulate dialog and the exchange of information and resources. Please send in your comments.
Moving, The Right Step For Me
Changes, we all go through them. I knew a lot would change when I turned nineteen and became an adult. However, I wasn’t prepared for the speed at which things changed. From the time I turned nineteen to the time I moved out of my parents house was less than two months. I am moved out before many of my friends. I don’t feel ready to take on this responsibility, even after being here for a week and a half. It has been a culture shock, especially for my ears. Instead of hearing siblings voices, I hear traffic noise. In the first few days, I had to re-train my regular homecare workers in a new environment. This was no easy task. A few of them have complained about the changes. What they need to understand, as I’m beginning to learn, is the meaning behind the old cliché, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ If we are patient and understanding with each other, in time, their job and my life will become easier to manage.
It has been fun exploring my new neighborhood and showing off my apartment. As different as it is, I feel like it’s growing on me. It’s a new adventure, a chance to grow personally in independence and confidence. I have not cut ties with my family, my twin sister is my roommate and we only moved a few minutes away from my parents. It is clear now, though, that my decisions are solely mine to make. I have the choice to either take what my parents have taught me and use it or reject it completely. They taught me the importance of an exceptional work ethic and pursuing my passions. More importantly, they nurtured me in living virtuously with integrity and love. I keep these lessons close as I take this monumental step on my independence journey.