CILs Aid Seniors with Housing, Technology Help
By John M. Williams
Maryland resident Tom Stoddard is 74 years old. He retired
from work “but not living” on December 31st, 2006. More than a year
ago he started experiencing difficulty walking and seeing. The impact was
“psychologically menacing,” he said. Living on a fixed income, he was
afraid of losing his independence. He knew he needed help finding a place to
live, so he visited the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council in Silver
Spring. One of the council’s referrals was the Maryland Department of
Housing and Community Development.
Centers for independent living (CILs) are typically
non-residential, private, non-profit, consumer-controlled, community-based
organizations that provide services and advocacy by and for persons with all
types of disabilities. Their goal is to assist individuals with disabilities to
achieve their maximum potential within their families and communities. 
CILs also serve as a strong advocacy voice on a wide range
of national, state and local issues. They work to assure physical and
programmatic access to housing, employment, transportation, communities,
recreational facilities, and health and social services. 
Established in the late 1980s, the Maryland Statewide
Independent Living Council serves as an advisory, planning and advocacy group
to promote independent living services across the state. The council is
composed of individuals with disabilities, representatives of advocacy groups,
and service providers of private and public agencies. It provides guidance to
Maryland's Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) through development,
review and evaluation of the State Plan for Independent Living.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community
Development (DHCD) and the Maryland Department of Aging are undertaking a pilot
project to promote accessibility-related improvements to homes of seniors. The
improvements may include installation of grab bars and railings, widening of
doorways and installation of ramps. For many older people, such improvements
represent "the key to remaining in their homes and maintaining their
independence,” said a spokesperson for the state.
Stoddard was introduced to the Homeownership for
Individuals with Disabilities, a program that provides low-interest mortgage
loans to eligible disabled homebuyers. He said he is delighted with the results
and is waiting to hear if he qualifies.
http://www.dhcd.state.md.us/website/Programs/hidp/Default.aspx
“I have learned so much about independent living from
so many folks here that I am overjoyed,” Stoddard said. Stoddard has seen
many of his peers his age at different centers being counseled on accessible
housing and assistive technology.
To help Stoddard deal with his low vision, his grandson
Cameron purchased a low-vision product for him. Cameron learned about
low-vision products from the Maryland Department of Aging.
“Occsionally seniors seek counseling to assist them
on learning about hearing products, low-vision products or other assistive
technologies,” said David Burds, a counselor at the ENDependence Center of
Northern Virginia Inc. (ECNV).
ECNV has a modified kitchen and bathroom to assist
individuals in learning new technologies. It gives classes on assistive
software on computers and helps individuals learn skills to achieve
independence. The center is managed by and for people with disabilities. It
operates from a philosophy of consumer control and peer-to-peer relationships
to empower people with physical, mental, cognitive and sensory disabilities to
direct their own lives.
Cindy is a widow in her seventies who lives near Albany,
N.Y. (She would not reveal her actual age or her last name.) She is losing her
sight and has lapses of memory. She is fiercely independent and likes living
alone. To address her vision, cognitive and other challenges, she sought
guidance from the New York Council on Aging. To meet her desire to develop
independent living skills, the council put Cindy in contact with a CIL. Cindy
won’t say which center she contacted and, out of respect for her privacy,
neither will the N.Y. Council on Aging.
Cindy received information on low-vision products and
bought a low-vision product through assistance from the state. “My life
changed once I got my low-vision product,” Cindy said.
She is reviewing literature from the council and the
center on technology developed for cognitive challenges. Cindy has recommended
CILs to peers her age. |
