d id not appeal to her. She prefers living alone but having friends close by. She likes having staff that are responsible only for her. Initially, she needed direct support staff to be with her around the clock. As she made progress, Fran has become capable of assuming more responsibility for herself and relies less upon continuous staffing support. Fran moved into an affordable housing apartment complex. She rents a one-bedroom apartment that is barrier-free. She can use her walker and ambulate throughout the building. Her bathroom is equipped with grab bars and a walk-in shower. There are ramps throughout the facility and her apartment is located on the first floor. Staff are available to her whenever she needs them. She can also have time to herself without staff present. The service provider that employs her support staff also have a van available so Fran can go out to activities and shopping in her shore community. She has made a few friends in the apartment complex with whom she enjoys spending free time. She leads a very active social life. There are many things to do in her neighborhood. Recently with persistence, Fran received a HUD Section 8 housing assistance voucher. This helps her limited budget considerably. With this rental assistance, Fran pays only 30% of her income and the voucher pays the balance of her rent. With the remainder of her income from Social Security, Fran pays for her food, utilities, clothes and recreational expenses. She also receives SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, to buy her groceries. The Department of Human Services provides for her staff supports through waiver funding.
Resources about I Choose Home NJ are available at http://www.ichoosehome.nj.gov/
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