To hear it from Lois, age is just a number.
“I love it here,” she said of Cedar Home, where she currently lives. “I still like to go out and be with friends.”
At 73 years old, Lois is still young at heart and eager to be out and about as much as she can. But the reality is age can make a difference – both for the person and the home in which he or she lives.
Just four years ago, Lois was still independent enough to live in a Supported Living Arrangement (SLA), which is nearly complete independence as residents live in their own apartment, can cook their own food and maintain their own personal care and living space.
But physical and health complications began to happen more regularly for Lois, prompting her move to the Cedar Home, which is a Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) where staff is on site 24/7 to assist the residents who share the home.
Crystal Valley, manager of the Cedar Home, said Lois now uses a walker and has a higher risk of falling – the most recent incident happening only a couple weeks ago. The problem is compounded by the outdated features of the home which has no ADA accessible bathrooms, narrow hallways and no handrails.
And Lois is not alone in the troubles she has in an outdated house. Within the next four years, 65 percent of Little City’s adult residential population will be over 50 years old and the current homes are not suited for their increasing needs.
But with your support, Little City will make rapid and immediate progress. Your donation will bring Little City one step closer to purchasing a home that will be specifically designed to help people like Lois.
In a home with a walk-in shower, wide halls, ADA-restrooms and other needed safety features, Lois will not only have a much higher chance of avoiding future falls, but also the ability and independence to live life to the fullest.
“Lois is her own guardian and she is still 100% mentally Lois,” Crystal said. “She has friends pick her up on Wednesday evenings to go to church and she loves going to bingo with friends too. She’s still sharp and loves to do all the things she’s always done.”
With your gift, Little City can start to make these needed renovations and build the homes our aging adults deserve. A donation is not simply a gift to build a safe and comfortable home for our residents, it is the gift of independence and dignity for the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
