INDEPENDENT LIVING

Strategies for Supporting Independent Living

Strategies for Supporting Independent Living

Introduction

Independent living is a philosophical approach. It is a way of observing society and disability, and an international movement of disabled individuals who work for equal opportunities, self-respect and self-determination. In large number of countries, predetermined concepts and predominating medical views on disabilities contribute to adverse attitudes for individuals with disabilities. Often disabled individuals are portrayed as deviant, defective, and sick individuals, as a burden for their families and for themselves, dependant on the charity of other individuals. The professional of human service organizations play an important role in providing an independent living environment to people with disabilities, in order to provide the sense of home.

How Can Human Services Change Independent Living Environment

Human services can effectively change the environment of independent living by participating in community activities to best of their abilities. For individuals with disabilities, the rehabilitation program for independent living can be a partner in properly managing the life of disabled individuals. The independent living that human service organizations provide can make disabled individuals to take an active part in their families, community and home. Human services help eligible individuals by providing them with the services that are substitute of institutionalisation when possible (Zarb, 200, pp.58). Independent living services that human service organsations provide can improve the functioning of disabled individuals. Human service professionals can prepare an individual for a vocational rehabilitation program of employment. These services can be provided in a direct manner, coordinated or purchased through other resources of community. When an independent living environment does not meet the needs of an individual, human service organisations referrer disabled individuals to other agencies for appropriate services (Hasler, 2003, pp.90).

Professionals of human services can partner with eligible people in order to identify suitable services and develop the following objectives:

Counseling and guidance

Rehabilitation engineering

Vehicle and home modifications

Training for developing skills of independent living

Purchase of some particular equipments

Assistance for part-time services

Services of personal assistance

How Organisations have Provided Living Environments

Human service organisations and professionals have provided a better living environment to disabled individuals.

Evaluating and Monitoring Services

As the needs of disabled individuals are best identified by themselves, organizations for disabled individuals play a major role in monitoring and evaluating services. More often, this process possibly takes place in developed countries, where there is large number of services for disabled individuals, as compared to developing countries. The human service organisations provide an independent living environment along with subsidized technical aids and medical care.

Self-development

Human services for disabled individuals provide an independent living environment that helps in developing different skills in those individuals. These skills are related to processes of management, organization and negotiation. These independent living environments also provide a platform for mutual support, and for developing the above mentioned skills. Human service organisations provide disabled individuals an opportunity to volunteer salaried employees and committee members, in order to develop skills that can benefit them in employment market. In fact, much of these training for developing skills take place in national and ...