October 2012
Woman Relies on Support, Finds "Grand" New Home
Moving can be a stressful, but with the right support, it can turn out to be a pleasant experience. That's what "Suzanne", a 60-year-old woman with a developmental disability in the Family Care program in Jefferson County discovered.
She moved from an adult family home into another family-run adult family home that better met her needs. She said she was nervous about moving at first, but now that she's in her new home, she is very happy.
"Living here is just grand," she says.
She said the most important thing for her was to put her faith in God. She also relied on the help of her support network. Sharing her thoughts and questions with her friends and a counselor helped her feel better about the move. She also relied on the help of her Care Wisconsin Case Manager Melissa Phillips.
"She is such a sweetheart," Suzanne says.
Suzanne's new home is located about 6 miles from her old community, where her church, job and some friends are located. Her church had always helped her with transportation and was able to provide the same service from her new home. The owner of the new facility helped coordinate van service for Suzanne to and from work.
When she's not working or going to church she likes to knit and crochet hats, scarves, hot pads, and coasters which she gives to friends and donates to her church. She also learned a new skill since she moved to the new facility. One of the facility owners taught her how to use the computer to set up an email account, which she now uses to email her friends from work.
One other benefit of the new home is that it is closer to where her mother lives and it's more convenient for her to visit Suzanne. Overall, Suzanne says she likes the new home and the atmosphere.
"I love it here," she says. "The people are friendly and sweet."