Community groups vital for providing information Friday September 3, 2010 -- Lisa Bailey
As family support manager at Community Living Windsor, Sue Armaleo has seen “a bazillion” positive outcomes as people who have a disability and their families direct their own lives.
“They’re creating the life that they want and we’re merely helping them to implement that, so they’re steering the ship.
“I think in the old days the agencies were the ship, and we’re not the ship — the person and the family is the ship. We may be giving them some fuel but we’re being told how to put the fuel in, and I think that makes the difference,” she says.
Participating in a new Community Living Leaders series on engaging the next generation of families, Armaleo notes Community Living Windsor supports an individualized funding model.
Working closely with the Windsor Essex Brokerage for Personal Supports — a neutral organization that acts as a information provider for supports — she helps people implement ministry-funded support plans and manages resources.
She’s seen lives change as, for example, a person moves in their own home from a long-term care facility or family residence.
“It affects the whole family because they are on board and part of the process, so their lives change. Someone may be watching a sister or brother living a life that they’re not happy in and moving to an emotional place where they’re really happy,” Armaleo says.
“They’re living the life they want, which is what we all want.”
This ability to receive the support needed, in the way they want it to work for them, is empowering, Armaleo says.
The person and their family can realize their potential and set an example for others.
Considering what agencies can do to engage families, Armaleo says working in partnership is key. This includes “really listening to families and if there are barriers, trying to figure out ways” to overcome them.
She also notes that Community Living Windsor works closely with the Windsor Essex Family Network and People First, which are vital groups in the community that perform an invaluable service of disseminating information.
“That’s very helpful because information is power so the more information you have, the better decisions you’re making,” she says.
Armaleo also says it’s important to have an unencumbered entity like Windsor Essex Brokerage involved in facilitating the person-directed planning process, because it is a central source for information that allows for informed choices to be made.
If you have feedback on this article, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051m ext. 25, or e-mail lisa(at)axiomnews.ca.
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