Community Living Ontario

‘It has made her grow a lot, and it has definitely made a difference in her life,’ says Pat Eastabrook of her daughter
Wednesday June 23, 2010 -- Deron Hamel

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - Wayne and Pat Eastabrook say that in the three years their daughter Kate has been living independently with four roommates in a Peterborough apartment she has strengthened her self-confidence with increased decision-making and responsibilities.

“It has made her grow a lot, and it has definitely made a difference in her life,” Pat tells Community Living Leaders.

“I have to give credit to Kate. She has had to learn skills that were new to her, such as decision-making, grocery shopping, meal planning and also trying to be a team player with so many people who were new to her.”

Whether she and her friends are chatting over a cup of tea or sharing a meal together in their apartment, Pat says Kate is enjoying life on her own.

By living together, the women are able to support each other as friends do, Pat notes. Other people living in Kate’s apartment block have gotten to know her since she moved in and she’s made many friends.

For the past three years Pat says Kate’s self-confidence and her sense of citizenship have blossomed by the experience of independent living.

“She is now an independent young woman living her life the way she wants to,” says Pat. “She can and wants to handle situations on her own.”

While Kate, a community volunteer, has a busy schedule these days, the support staff at Community Living Peterborough works hard to adjust to her schedule and busy life, which allows her to continuously grow, Pat says.

Wayne Eastabrook, Kate’s dad, says benefits stemming from independent living are not only garnered by Kate, but also by her parents.

“This is independence for Kate and independence for us, and it’s a huge benefit for us to know that Katie is in a safe environment,” he says.

“I think we’ve gotten where we want to be.”

Laura Challice is one of Kate’s roommates. Challice describes living with Kate and her other roommates as “a barrel of laughs,” adding that there’s never a dull moment in the household.

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