Four years ago, Mary lived in a group home designed to help
people get ready to live on their own. It was expected that
people who lived there would receive intensive training over two
years, and then be ready to move to their own apartments -- a
goal Mary had long sought. A prerequisite to being able to learn
to cook was being able, independently, to make jello that would
stand up when removed from its mold. Mary was not able to
measure ingredients accurately, and was unable to achieve the
objective. After two years, her interdisciplinary team
recommended that Mary's goal of living in her own apartment be
dropped from her Individual Program Plan (IPP).
Mary's parents, who had just completed a course on residential service options, objected. They knew that there had to be another way for Mary. Since age 16, Mary had been dating Stan who lived an hour away. Mary's parents called Stan's mother to see if she could help. Coincidentally, Mary's parents had intended to move near the town Stan lived in to be closer to her father's work. Sherry, Stan's foster mother checked with some friends, and one agreed to rent a room to Mary. Mary's mother would help her with budgeting and shopping, as she had done when Mary lived at home.
Armed with this opportunity, Mary's parents requested another meeting with her team, but again they refused to support her plans. Mary and her parents went ahead with their plan for Mary to move out of the group home and into a home she could call her own. Mary continues to live quite well with very little paid support. Occasionally she has used the services of an independent living skills instructor. And, she spends much more time with Stan than she was able to do when she lived an hour away.
Stan lives in his own place -- with a housemate -- and Stan and Mary get together as often as they can. Mary enjoys the two women she moved in with and they have a lot in common. Mary was finally able to get the services of a supportive living agency to help her manage her money, cook and develop more relationships in the community. With their assistance, Mary is participating in a country western dance class. She has become good friends with another person in the class and they go out quite often to listen to country western music.