Dani’s plan is to live in her own apartment which has been purchased by her
family. Dani has chosen this approach for many reasons:
1. In her own home Dani has control of who provides her most intimate care,
and how she wants things done
2. The waiting list for accessible subsidized housing is between 8 and 12
years.
3. By purchasing her own home, she can live where and with whom she wants.
This plan offers Dani more control and a better quality of life than is
available in an institution or group home where staff and management make
the decisions about who is hired, what activities are best for the group,
what food is purchased, what routines would be most efficient etc.
Dani requires people to help her with all activities: bathing, dressing,
feeding, as well as accompanying her to her work and other activities. She
often needs help with her electronic life aids. Her computer and electric
wheelchair malfunction often because so many functions are working together:
wheelchair driving, writing, speaking, environmental controls etc. When
these malfunction, someone who is familiar with her equipment and her
non-verbal communication must be present to find the problem and rectify it.
Dani needs someone with her most of her waking hours. She feels she can
train people do the tasks necessary for her care. She can hire these people
at half the cost of the medical professionals required to staff
institutions.
Click here to see comparative figures