What Do Group Homes Offer Adults With Disabilities?
Caring for your adult loved one with a disability is a privilege. However, you may need help ensuring his or her physical, social and emotional needs are met.
A group home for adults with disabilities can meet your loved one’s needs in a safe, comfortable and stimulating living environment.
Benefits of Group Homes For Adults With Disabilities
Consider all the advantages of a group home for adults with disabilities.
Safe Living Environment
The ideal living environment respects the individual and protects residents physically, emotionally and mentally. A group home provides this type of safe living environment for adults with disabilities, including your loved one.
Group homes must be licensed by the state before they can legally open for business, and they undergo extensive regular inspections. These regulations ensure the home’s administrators and staff follow safety guidelines and maintain strict standards of residential care.
Details like facility maintenance and activities of daily living are also evaluated for safety and compliance.
Safe group homes employ staff members who undergo extensive training. They understand your loved one’s disability and exercise compassion. Professional and competent staff know what to do if a resident becomes ill, exhibits potentially harmful behaviors or experiences bullying.
While you can’t live with your loved one 24/7, you can have peace of mind that he or she will be safe in their group home.
Thorough Medical Treatment
Adults with disabilities often experience medical, emotional or mental health challenges that require ongoing treatment.
Group home staff members are familiar with how to organize medical and mental health treatment, which may include the following:
- Providing around-the-clock nursing care
- Following doctors’ orders
- Managing and distributing medications
- Offering transportation to appointments
Whether your loved one sees a medical specialist, mental health therapist, psychiatrist, or other therapists regularly, you can trust that his or her needs will be met.
The group home staff will regularly review your loved one’s medical treatment plan and ensure it’s followed precisely and thoroughly. They also know how to use therapeutic and accessibility devices properly. Each of these actions supports your loved one’s health and gives you peace of mind.
Enhanced Independence
Depending on their ability and life experience, adult group home residents may exhibit various levels of independence. One person may hold a job while another requires job training.
Likewise, residents may need varying levels of assistance as they regulate emotions, manage money and communicate with others.
Group homes for adults with disabilities are designed to provide personalized and individualized care that promotes independence.
No matter how self-sufficient your loved one is, he or she will receive customized training, such as opportunities to practice conversational skills, learn how to cook or shop for clothing.
Depending on his or her unique needs and desires, your loved one can be as independent as possible while living in a community.
Essential Daily Living Assistance
Adults with disabilities may be capable of bathing, toileting, dressing, eating, and getting around on their own. Or, depending on their disability, they may require some level of assistance performing these activities of daily living.
The right group home for your loved one will provide the daily living assistance he or she needs. Your loved one will be treated with respect and encouraged to remain as independent and self-sufficient as possible, but he or she will have access to help whenever necessary.
Stimulating Social Life
Activities add fun and focus to life. They also provide beneficial stimulation and support quality of life.
Adults with disabilities can learn from others with similar and different abilities as they interact regularly. For these reasons, group homes offer a variety of activities for adult residents.
Your loved one will enjoy daily enrichment through social activities in a group home. In addition to interacting with staff and other residents, your loved one will have opportunities to do the following:
- Play games
- Go shopping
- Participate in hobbies
- Volunteer in the community
- Interact with you and other family members
These and other social activities enhance daily life, provide a valuable outlet for creativity and individual expression, and are essential for a well-rounded and stimulating life.
Ongoing Family Interaction
Although adults with disabilities live in a group home with strangers, they are encouraged to remain connected to family. That family support is vital to their well-being.
Group homes provide multiple opportunities for ongoing family interaction and involvement. You may visit, share meals and spend time together. You may also participate in your loved one’s treatment plan and can help make decisions about his or her care and future.
In some cases, you may enjoy an even closer relationship after your loved one moves into a stable, nurturing and caring group home.
Choosing a Group Home For Adults With Disabilities
Group homes provide a safe, comfortable and engaging living environment for adults with disabilities.
Use this list to weigh the benefits and care provided as you choose the right home for your loved one.
Learn about group homes for adults with physical disabilities and intellectual disabilities
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