[nabs-l] Wanted to share my experience living at Friedman Place, a supportive living community for blind adults in Chicago
Sam Nelson
samnelson1 at verizon.net
Tue Apr 9 13:06:21 UTC 2013
Hi Lmad,
(Sorry if y I spelled your name wrong!)
It does sound nice. I'm glad your friends are happy there.
Yes, that's exactly like it is here too, everyone gets treated with
respect and there's such a sense of family. For example, the activity
director teases me that I'm his adopted daughter. LOL! He's a little nuts
but we love him anyway! Seriously, he's probably one of the most friendly
energetic staff we have.
A CAN from Africa says she's my "Friedman Mother." It's all very sweet.
Sam
-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of wmodnl wmodnl
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2013 7:50 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Cc: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Wanted to share my experience living at Friedman
Place, a supportive living community for blind adults in Chicago
They probably did not mention it since they are full. The wait-list is
closed. That is a nice place, I have a few friends who live there. I agree
that, from what I seen, you are treated with respect. In fact, many of the
staff treat the residents as one of there own. The point is, the whole
group-home mentality does not exist. Many including my friends will tell
you, they function like a family. Good luck, have a good day.
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 9, 2013, at 8:30 AM, "Hope Paulos" <hope.paulos at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello Sam! I just watch one of your videos. I'm from Maine, Mount Desert
Island to be exact, and I know that there is a similar facility called iris
Park Apartments in Portland Maine. This is a subsidize housing for
individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Assistance is given with
shopping, nursing care, if need be orientation and mobility services, and
people can eat either in the dining room or in their own apartments. A full
kitchen is offered in each apartment. Vision rehabilitation services are
also provided if need be. I'm quite surprised that nobody from Maine
mentioned this to you.
> Sincerely,
> Hope Paulos
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Apr 9, 2013, at 7:50 AM, "Sam Nelson" <samnelson1 at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi Mark and everyone,
>> Thank you for sending this. Yes I am aware of the training centers
>> that Joshua and others (when I sent info on this to a different list
>> of blind
>> students) told me about. It's wonderful that so many of you have found
them
>> to be so helpful and it's worked for you. I have looked at their
websites
>> and read about the NFB philosophy and at this moment, it's just not for
me.
>>
>> I do appreciate your thoughts Joshua! I want to be clear that to my
>> knowledge neither the staff here nor anyone else sees this as a
"charity
>> case," kind of thing. For many that live here, there is a real sense
>> of family, and we give back in our own way to the community as much
>> as we get from it, with our own unique skills talents and personalitys.
>> Yes, several of the residents here do have other disabilities in
>> addition to being blind, but some don't. And honestly, I don't see
>> how that really matters. For example, a very good friend of mine,
>> moved here in I believe November. He is visually impaired, and has
>> CP. But no one really dwells on that. He's amazing at computers,
>> extremely intelligent and with a great sense of humor, and very
>> motivated and incouraging people to advocate with and for others
>> with disabilities. That's what sticks in my mind, about him not that
>> he has CP in addition to being blind. (though I do sometimes tease
>> him that he should get one of those service monkeys LOL!) Thanks
>> again Mark for your kind words. And everyone for your perspective. I hope
to get to know you all better.
>> Sam (short for Samantha, that's ok (smile))
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mark J.
>> Cadigan
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2013 6:09 AM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Wanted to share my experience living at
>> Friedman Place, a supportive living community for blind adults in
>> Chicago
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>>
>>
>> I'm certain Sam knows about the wonderful training available at the
>> three NFB training centers, however, that's not what he is trying to
>> tell us. Sam is just telling us about a solution he has found that
>> works for him. This solution is not for everyone, but according to
>> Sam it's his best option at the moment. We don't know Sam's
>> situation, and can't speak for him, so I'm just asking everybody to
>> be supportive of Sam and welcome him to the list, instead of haranguing
him for not being so called "independent enough."
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Mark
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Sam Nelson" <samnelson1 at verizon.net>
>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2013 6:43 AM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Wanted to share my experience living at Friedman
>> Place, a supportive living community for blind adults in Chicago
>>
>>
>>> Hi Everyone,
>>>
>>> First I apologize if some of you have read about this already from me,
as
>>> I've posted it to the Massachusetts and IL student's mailing lists. I
>>> just really want to let everyone I can know about the wonderful
>>> place I call home, in case othersare in a similar situation to me
>>> and could see it as an option for either short or long-term living.
>>>
>>> I'm24 years old and totally blind. I'm originally from MA, and moved
>>> this past June to Friedman Place, a residential community for blind
>>> adults ages 22-elderly in Chicago.
>>>
>>> Friedman Place is one of two supportive living communities in the
>>> country, the other being Mary Bryant in Springfield.
>>>
>>> Since moving to Friedman my life has dramatically changed in a
>>> positive way. Here everyone has their own apartment, yet there is
>>> staff available 24/7if needed. Laundry and housekeeping services are
>>> optional. There are microwaves in our apartments, but beyond that we
>>> can't cook for ourselves as we eat in the dining room.
>>>
>>> Certified Nursing assistants help with daily things such as
>>> medication reminders, doing our nails, going for walks, or just
>>> hanging out and talking
>>> with us. There are a variety of activities provided including: bingo,
>>> other card games, a movement class, line dancing, a support group, e
>>> exercise classes, and others. I feel as more younger people move to
>>> the facility, the types of activitys will reflect that.
>>>
>>> The nursing services are available daily, though not 24 hours. This
>>> is not a nursing home, so people with severe medical issues probably
>>> wouldn't be a good fit. I think the best fit for Friedman is someone
>>> who feels they want or need to live in a community environment, with
>>> a caring group of peers, and security and support from staff. This
>>> could be someone who's
>>> transitioning from a school for the blind or really any school and
>>> trying
>>> to figure out what they want to do after. It could be someone who
>>> just wants to get out of their parent's house, for whatever reason
>>> doesn't have or want
>>> to live with relatives other friends, or want a roommate. It could be
>>> someone who has mild emotional/ cognitive challenges, and so would
>>> would do
>>> well in an environment where there was independence but also a feeling
>>> of
>>> support, and where they couldn't isolate as easily and fall through
>>> the cracks in a way they could if living alone or just with a
>>> roommate. Or, someone could want to move here purely for security
>>> reasons, as many low-income disability housing apartments are in
>>> really
>> bad neighborhoods.
>>>
>>> Staff are very client centered, in that residents plan how they want
>>> their lives to go. It's a great place to come and have a solid
>>> homebase to grow from. There are many oppurtunities in the city for
>>> volunteer or payed work, education, and socialization. Each resident
>>> is assigned a care advocate, who they meet with regularly to discuss
>>> issues going on either at Friedman and also talking about what
>>> they'd like to do out in the community. I feel the social worker in
>>> particular, is a very caring, friendly person who's very
>>> knowledgable about resources in the community.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I also want to be clear that this is not a foster care, group home,
>>> or nursing home situation. As long as residents sign in and out,
>>> for safety reasons of course, they can come and go as they please.
>>> They can have guests over til midnight without the guest having to
>>> get a background check. If they want guests to spend the night, all
>>> the person needs to do is fill out a quick background check form
>>> for safety.
>>>
>>> I feel that with the mix of older and younger residents, it really
>>> is like a family. I'm a sensitive person who in the past has
>>> isolated a lot. Here I feel I have a purpose and have solid
>>> friendships for the first time in my life.
>>>
>>> There are only two other people in their 20s currently at Friedman,
>>> I'm really hoping we can get more. The cost of living here is
>>> covered by medicade, as well as a portion of one's social security
check.
>>>
>>> There's no requirement on how long you need to stay. Some people
>>> stay for six months, and consider it a stepping stone to living
>>> completely on one's own. . Others have been here for years and
>>> consider it home. It's all up to the person.
>>>
>>> I just know that if I had known at 15 or 16 that there was a safe
>>> supportive place I could go when I was 22, I would have been way
>>> less stressed about the future.
>>>
>>> At the end of this message I'll post the links to my videos to
>>> learn more.
>>>
>>> Lastly, in addition to letting others know of my positive experience
>>> here at Friedman, my second mission is to advocate for similar
>>> facilities to be opened in other states. Doing the research I have
>>> and hearing from many people, it's obvious that the need is there,
>>> particularly for those from
>>> 18
>>> to 22, of which there seems to be very little services. I wish the age
>>> requirement were 18, but right now it isn't. (Don't give up if you're
>>> in
>>> that age group and interested in Friedman! Just be patient, and
>>> maybe soon things will change for the better!) So * if any of you
>>> want to discuss this other project I'd really appreciate it.
>>>
>>> Thanks for reading, and I look forward to getting to know more of you.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sam
>>>
>>> Video links:
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG4SWYVxqA4
>>>
>>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQTBKEnPup8
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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