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HOUSING OPTIONS WITH INNOVATIVE ELEMENTS
Living with Family and Receiving In-Home Supports means that a person with a disability receives supportive services delivered within his or her own home while living with family members. Services can include such things as personal care assistance, respite, applied behavior analysis, crisis intervention and tutoring. ,IVING WITH &AMILY AND 2ECEIVING )N (OME 3UPPORTS
At six feet tall, Adam does not comprehend his own strength. He likes his routine and hates interruptions of his favorite activities. Adam experiences grand mal seizures that can be life threatening. Adam cannot communicate where he feels pain. When in discomfort, Adam injures himself. Adam required hospitalization for several months when his self-injurious behavior threatened his own health and safety. Understanding what Adam communicates through his actions is a key to keeping him safe. Adam and Dave’s parents have wondered, at times, how long they can continue to care for their sons in their family home. Their children do well at home with a structured routine and a consistent approach to their behavioral challenges. They utilize funding from the Community Care Waiver to pay for in-home staff support and therapeutic services. Five staff people supply eight hours of support every day for each of the brothers. Adam has some significant medical conditions and qualifies for additional personal care assistance through the Personal Preference Program (PPP), a state plan service SEE PAGE !LL CAREGIVERS ARE CHOSEN for their compatibility with Adam and Dave. Being close in age to their staff companions, they share common interests. Dave and Adam have grown to trust these new people in their lives. Their parents and caregivers receive intensive training in applied behavior analysis. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) developed individualized behavioral support plans for each brother. After careful observation, the plans identify the antecedents that trigger maladaptive behaviors, the target behavior and the consequences that reinforce these behaviors. These plans describe how their caregivers can minimize the likelihood of the target behavior occurring and how to respond instead of react should the target behavior occur. As often as possible, their
Living with Family and In-Home Supports Model: Adam and Dave’s Home Adam and Dave are brothers who live with their parents. With diagnoses on the autism spectrum, these young men are unable to
verbalize their preferences. Adam responds to pain by inflicting injury to himself. Dave cries uncontrollably but cannot vocalize what makes him sad. Often, they are unable to find relief from frustrations without others intervening on their behalf. Because of the difficulties that they experience, their parents believe that the best life for their two children is to continue living within the family home. Judging by their demeanors, it appears that Adam and Dave are very happy with their lives, as well. There have been many challenging events over the years. Dave seeks harmony by his own definition. With a keen sense of hearing, certain words or loud noises provoke Dave. If a situation occurs, Dave wants to resolve it expeditiously. In such instances, Dave paces and shows agitation. If unchecked, he can be aggressive toward other people. He just wants them to stop the behavior that he finds disruptive. Failure to sustain this structured environment quickly disintegrates into a commotion that can escalate into a crisis. Following a traumatic event, both Adam and Dave regress from the progress that they have achieved.
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