More Than Personal Care by Sarah Evans

I have lived on my own for over ten years and rely mostly on attendant care. Only recently I have really realized that my independence is so much more than having my personal care needs met. I have found that there are not a lot of services available to help me maintain my apartment.

This recently came up when a support worker (not one of my attendants) was helping me to fill out a work order for my superintendent. One of the things I needed addressed was that the strings to open and close my blinds were tangled. My worker questioned whether or not the building superintendent was responsible for this. While I understood the question, I was also frustrated because I didn't know who I was supposed to ask for help with this.

I had a similar issue when I first moved into my apartment a few years ago. The service I use for attendant care only focuses on personal care. Therefore, I didn't know how I could get free homemaking services. I looked into some agencies, but they were expensive. Fortunately, I got private funding so that I could hire someone to do my housekeeping.

Although I love living on my own, it can be difficult to find the support I need to help me maintain my apartment and be independent in the community. 

Sarah Evans is a mentor at Ability Online. Ability Online provides connection opportunities and resources for people living with disability, their families and professionals.