Independent Living
What is independent living?
Independent Living is used in reference to people with a disability having the same opportunities, choices, acceptance, control and freedom as able-bodied people – this should cover all aspects of daily living including your time; in hospital, at the rehab centre, at home, in work, in education and as a members of the community.
Any emotional, physical and social assistance you need should be available to you and should be in line with your own choices and needs. Promoting independent living should be the purpose of all services available to you.
You have the right to live independently, which does not mean living alone or without support. It means being responsible and in control of your daily life, where you can set and achieve your own goals. The key to you being able to live independently is to have the assistance you need to enable you to make and carry out the choices and goals you have set yourself.
While you are in hospital and going through rehabilitation you will lose your independence and will be reliant on others to care for you. Through the rehabilitation programme you will learn the techniques you need to regain some control of your body and your environment. As time goes on you will probably become frustrated and although you may be afraid to go home, you may long to regain your independence.
The question is: how will you regain your independence once you are back at home and you don’t have the support of the rehabilitation team?
To live independently you will need:
- Suitable housing, with necessary adaptations so that you can live on your own if you so choose.
- You will need to be mobile, which may be through the use of walking aids or a wheelchair. You will need a vehicle or access to public transport.
- Access to public and private facilities such as work, educational establishments, shopping centres and leisure pursuits.
- Money – an income to cover the costs of living and living aids and equipment.
- Assistance – this may be personal assistance to do the tasks you can not perform or electronic assistance.
What does Independent Living mean to you?
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acceptance
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control of your own life
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equality
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a sense of self worth and value to society
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a home of your own
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access to services and amenities
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access to sport and lesiure opportunities
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access to equipment to aid your mobility
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financial independence
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flexibility to do what you want when you want
In the following pages you will hopefully find advice and information that will help you to live an independent life
As always, we’d be delighted to hear from you if we’ve got something wrong or if you have come across additional information or learned anything from your own experiences that may be of benefit to others.
