I was recently on a panel at a disability conference with Michelle Hewitt from Disability
without Poverty. Our event was called "The Quiet Reinstitutionalization: Young People with Disabilities in Long-term Care." Michelle made a point which stuck with me. She said that being independent means being supported to live in her own home and that the people who help her do things the way she wants them done.
Michelle gave a small, personal example -- she said that if she directs a support worker to put the red shirt on top of the blue shirt, then the red shirt goes on top, and not in any other order that the support worker might prefer to do it. That way, Michelle is in charge and living independently.
Absolutely right! I love reading more examples of how this take on independence works in real life. But I also find it frustrating and astonishing how many people still don't "get" it. Self-direction *IS* what "Independent Living" is -- not the rehabilitation profession's version which is about doing things as normally and close to solo as possible -- though I also think there's a role for THAT kind of independence too, when possible. But the number of disabled people and their families who honestly and earnestly bang their heads against brick walls pursuing Medical Model independence, to their detriment, is really unfortunate.
Hi,
I was recently on a panel at a disability conference with Michelle Hewitt from Disability
without Poverty. Our event was called "The Quiet Reinstitutionalization: Young People with Disabilities in Long-term Care." Michelle made a point which stuck with me. She said that being independent means being supported to live in her own home and that the people who help her do things the way she wants them done.
Michelle gave a small, personal example -- she said that if she directs a support worker to put the red shirt on top of the blue shirt, then the red shirt goes on top, and not in any other order that the support worker might prefer to do it. That way, Michelle is in charge and living independently.
Absolutely right! I love reading more examples of how this take on independence works in real life. But I also find it frustrating and astonishing how many people still don't "get" it. Self-direction *IS* what "Independent Living" is -- not the rehabilitation profession's version which is about doing things as normally and close to solo as possible -- though I also think there's a role for THAT kind of independence too, when possible. But the number of disabled people and their families who honestly and earnestly bang their heads against brick walls pursuing Medical Model independence, to their detriment, is really unfortunate.