Our story by Melanie Kitchen

As the parent of a 42 year old living with a significant physical disability ( she is totally dependent on others for all activities of daily living) as well as a developmental disability. 

Independent Facilitation has helped guide our thinking on how to give her, her siblings and us the best life we can and still have her as part of our family. They have helped us figure out what she wants and needs to be the best daughter, sister she can be and supported us to make that happen when it was difficult or scary to do so.

She lives in her own home with supports. With the help of Independent Facilitators we have: learned how to figure out what she needs, to navigate the system to get the help we need, to help her become involved in our local community, to implement the supports she needs to make all that happen.

She has been an inspiration to other families, helping them to imagine how they might help their individual have a better life. 
Independent Facilitators keep families together, keep them out of crisis, make sure the voice of the individual is heard, help find solutions to challenges. They are there on a long term basis ready to offer help in a timely fashion. Not unlike what our family doctor does! They have done all of that for our family. 

As we get older we need Independent Facilitation guidance on how to ease out of the picture so her life does not fall apart when we die and our other children remain her siblings and not her caregivers.
She needs a life independent but connected to her siblings, extended family and friends. Independent Facilitation will help her and us figure that out. ​

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