Independent Living for Persons with Intellectual Disability

      Independent Living is a philosophy and a movement of people with disabilities who work  for self determination, equal opportunities and self-respect. Independent Living does not mean that we want to do everything by ourselves and do not need anybody or that we want to live in isolation Independent Living means that we demand the same choices and control in our every-day lives that our non-disabled brothers and sisters, neighbours and friends take for granted. 

    “Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior, which covers many everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age of 18.”

Current trends in the services for PWIDs-

•      Inclusive Education 
•      Community Living
•      Vocational Education 
•      Employment. 
•      Independent Living.

What is Independent Living?

       Independence to some meant a wheelchair to move around with ease and dignity as the respondent were forced to drag themselves on the ground to get around.

     Some said it meant the ability to communicate easily through sign language or communication boards.

    Akshi [name changed] has bowel control problem and cannot live or move out to work or participate in any social events since 30 years. Independence to her meant just being able to get out of the house.

•      as opposed to living in an institution
•      have the same range of choices as everyone else
•      participate in the social, economic and political life of their communities; 
•       have a family
•     live as responsible respected members of their communities with all the duties and privileges that this entails, and,
•      unfold their potential.(Bruce, 2000, p17)
• 
  

Philosophy of Independent Living

•      All human life is of value.
•      Anyone, whatever their impairment, is   capable of exerting choices.
•      People have the right to take control over their lives.
•      Disabled people have the right to participate fully in society.

"In India, Independent Living is covered under Chapter 3 of the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 (NTA) whose objectives are to enable and empower persons with disability to live as independently and as fully as possible within and as close to the community to which they belong."

Program of Independent living for person with Intellectual Disability

•      Provision of information and referral
•      Peer counselling and advocacy
•      Independent living skills training
•      Housing
•      Technical aids
•      Personal assistance
•      Transport and access.
•      Individual and Systems Advocacy 
•      Social Inclusion and Civic Participation.
•     Well-being (includes emotional well-being/mental health; physical health and personal life satisfaction.

 A Model for IL

•        Give power to the persons with disabilities
•        Make sure all disabilities are involved ( cross disability)
•        Make sure that 4 ‘core programs’ are always included so that the Centers function in a way which undoes the damage which happens to persons with a disability living and growing in a hostile environment created through the ‘Great Misunderstanding of Disability’ which exists in the “non-disabled” world which unfortunately embraces the notoriously flawed medical model of disability. 
•     Independent living empowers people with ID and helps them achieve their maximum potential.
•        Independent living for people with ID builds self-esteem and helps people help themselves and their peers. 
•      Independent living empowerment programs enable them to acquire the special skills they need to join the general community and be productive and self-sufficient. 
•       People with  intellectual disabilities can have a better quality of life if they take advantage of the services offered by independent living centers in their communities 
•      These include independent living skills training, job placement, making homes accessible, and advocacy for benefits and civil rights.

      "although much has been done, more efforts are needed to ensure that persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities have more choice and control over their lives and are included in the community on an equal basis with others. Most efforts to date have focused on deinstitutionalization, but to achieve true independent living they should be accompanied by a range of social policy reforms in the areas of education, healthcare, employment, culture and support services."
     
     Martin Luther King has stated that, "Freedom has always been an expensive thing." We must be ready to pay the price. We are responsible to millions in this and future, who rely on us for access to a life of quality. Available to us are the vast economic, technological and human resources of the richest culture in the history of mankind. We have no excuse to fail. We cannot afford to fail. We must unite to establish the principles of independent living in the consciousness and in all the processes of our society generations.

References

Bruce, A. (2000) Independent Living: Towards the New Millennium, Dublin, Center for Independent Living, pp.17-25

Bradley, V. J. (2000) . Changes in services and supports for people with developmental disabilities: New challenges to established practice. Health & Social Work, 25(3).

Felce, D., Perry, J., Romeo, R., Robertson, J., Meek, A., Emerson, E., & Knapp, M. (2008, March).Outcomes and costs of community living: Semi-independent living and fully staffed group homes. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 113(2), 87-101

         Stancliffe, R. J., & Keane, S. (2000). Outcomes and costs of community living: A matched comparison of group homes and semi-independent living. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 25(4), 281-305.

         Wolfensberger, W. (1972). The principle of normalization in human services. Toronto, Canada:National Institute on Mental Retardation.