Independent Living Q & A
Who might call an independent living center?
An example of someone who might call an independent living center could be someone newly diagnosed with a condition such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's Disease who may need to modify their home so they can get in and out, or perhaps learn about available community resources such as support groups and where to access information about their condition. Peer support is often very important in assisting a person with a disability to adjust and make life changes in response to their disability, attitudes, and their environment.
Another example would be the individual who sustains a catastrophic injury such as a brain injury or spinal cord injury. A person with a spinal cord injury may need to have some assistance with acquiring the resources to have a ramp built into their home, their bathroom modified, and as well as arranging for and training their own personal care assistant. Although centers do not provide direct financial assistance to people, they can coordinate community resources or possibly write grants to assist the individual.
A person who has acquired a brain injury may just need help getting organized and tending to activities of daily living and may need assistance with time management, budgeting, problem solving, etc. Center staff can work with the individual to solve these issues.
If someone needs some type of assistive device or equipment to live independently or maintain their job, the centers can research and identify potential options for the consumer. Sometimes equipment can be loaned or leased for a try out period. An example of this might be a computer, a scooter, bathbenches or bath chairs, communication boards, visual alarms, remote door openers, etc.
If an individual is having difficulty with supportive services in the community such as filling out paper work or applying for Food Stamps, an apartment, or Social Security, the center staff can assist with this. Or if someone feels they are being taken advantage of or discriminated against, t he center can provide advocacy services on behalf of the individual to attempt to resolve the issue at the lowest level possible.
If an individual is overwhelmed with all of the do's and don'ts regarding their medical and income benefits due to benefit restrictions and guidelines, a center can help someone sort through and analyze their benefits in order to make informed choices for planning and integrating themselves into the work force.
A center can assist a high school student with a disability to learn adult living skills and self-advocacy in order to make the transition from school to adult life smoother.
Do independent living centers work with the aging population?
Yes. Given that our population in Montana is aging, we are beginning to see more and more people aged 65 and older coming through the independent living center doors. As folks age, they may lose visual acuity, experience hearing loss, have arthritis set in, or sustain a stroke or heart attack which may alter their physical and cognitive capabilities. Aging persons do not generally identify themselves as having a disability, but experience disabling limitations. Right now, most of the requests coming from the aging population are centered around housing adaptations such as grab bars in the bathtub, ramps, adaptive equipment such as reachers, amplified phone head sets, and assistance in getting connected to resources for the aging population such as meals on wheels, senior transportation, etc.
The centers also work closely with the Senior Companion Program for persons who are elderly. The Senior Companion Program matches non-disabled seniors with other seniors who are blind or visually impaired. The companion may help the individual read their mail, get groceries, attend social activities, and etc.
We know that in most cases it is less expensive to remain in your home using natural supports than to enter a nursing home. We are seeing more and more seniors who want to stay at home, but just need extra support in order to do so.
Outside of working with individuals, how do the centers work to build community capacity?
Community capacity building activities are those that change attitudes about people with disabilities, that provide the same opportunities for everyone to live, work and play in the community. Some examples of community capacity building we have going on around the state include the following:
- Working with public transportation entities to ensure people with disabilities can use transportation to access their community and work
- Working with state and local governments on access to public buildings, public meetings, and services
- Working with the forest services and recreation entities to improve access to our national forests, camping and hiking opportunities
- Working with city planners to put in city sidewalk curb cuts
- Working with individual businesses to increase their access to people with disabilities
- Working with people with disabilities to educate them about their rights and responsibilities under the American with Disabilities Act
- Working with the Montana Board of Housing to improve opportunities for people with disabilities so they can purchase affordable and accessible housing
Who is the Montana Independent Living Council?
The twelve member Montana Independent Living Council serves at the governor's pleasure to set the goals and objectives for statewide independent living services which are primarily funded under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act. The Council consists of a majority of persons with disabilites from around the state who have a knowledge about independent living. Presently we have representatives from Wibaux, Billings, Helena, Missoula, Butte, Great Falls, Wolf Point, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Poplar, and Browning. The individuals have a variety of disabilities covering such things as visual impairments, mental illnesses, physical disabilities, and cognitive disabilities.
The Council is charged with jointly developing and submitting with Vocational Rehabilitation a State Plan for Independent Living which describes the extent and scope of the independent living network, independent living services, how the services will be provided, and how the financial resources will be delegated in Montana. The Centers, Council, and Vocational Rehabilitation work in partnership to set the stage for persons with disabilities to achieve their independent living goals.
Page last updated 07/26/2006
