Assisted Living Options for Neurodiverse Adults
Stephen's Place, Living Spaces for Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Washington State
As neurodiverse adults age, they need to find a way to live out their days comfortably. Assisted living options for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can provide them with the support they need while still maintaining their independence. The best assisted living options for neurodiverse adults will help their residents grow the level of independence and thrive in their own life while still being safe and cared for.
Activities Room at Stephen’s Place
How to Find Independent Assisted Living
Finding an assisted living facility for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many different options available, and you will want to make sure that the living situation can meet the needs of your resident as they age.
Assisted living for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can include independent apartment communities, group homes, farmsteads (farming communities), integrated communities (where neurotypical and neurodivergent folks live together), other assisted living communities, own apartments with caretakers coming in, and memory care.
To help an adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities find a great place to live, you can contact organisations that assist families with all resources for your adult’s specific needs. A Google search in your area should give you a good idea of what kind of places are available as well as their star ratings. Be sure to read the ratings because the stars can sometimes be a little deceiving. When an independent living community has a star or two missing, it can be because they have had a misunderstanding and someone has left a comment about an issue unrelated to the living community entirely. Even if it has top stars, reading the comments can give you an idea of what the place is like.
One method you can use for finding assisted living places for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities is to contact family members or friends in order to find out what others have experienced with places in your area before moving forward with an application.
Another useful place to start is parenting forums for caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. You can either search for questions already asked or ask your own. There are some pretty specific forums out there, but there are also general forums that have separate groups within them like Quora, for instance. Then you have The Mighty for a collection of different and very specific communities. There are often also Facebook communities for parents and caregivers of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Apartment at Stephen’s Place
The Moving Process
If a family member is having trouble making the move into a new environment, they will likely benefit from a continued routine. You may want to make sure that you adjust their routine as little as possible and give them time to emotionally process before, during and after their move. Some emotions may come up immediately, while others can take weeks to surface. So, preparation when possible is pretty key to help your resident feel comfortable in their new environment.
Residents at Stephen's Place
Independent Living Community Services
Residents should be given opportunities for greater levels of independence and to encourage growth and success in every way possible. The following are some of the services that your loved one may receive when they choose to move into an independent living community:
Wellness:
Circuit Training
Dance
Hula Hoop Contest
Monthly Fitness Challenge
Professional Training Sessions
Sports Studies
Yoga/Stretch
Stress Management
Mental Health Counseling
Music & Creative:
Jewelry Making
Instrument Lessons
Karaoke
Music Classes
Photography Class
Sewing Classes
Volunteer Opportunities:
Animal Shelters
Coffee Shops
Community Service
Elementary Schools
Habitat for Humanity
Hospital Cafeteria Service
Job Coaching:
Compile Resume
Employment Placement/Training
Inter-personal Professional Skills
Interview Assistance
Support
Problem Solving
Social:
Bingo Nights
Coffee Socials
Dance Parties
Game Night (Xbox, Wii, Cards, Board Games, Puzzles, etc)
Ice Cream Socials
Juice Bar Happy Hour
Library/Reading Time
Movie & Popcorn Night
Life Skills:
Budgeting & Managing Finances
Cooking Classes
Preparing Menus
Grooming
Hair & Makeup Classes
Housekeeping
Interpersonal Relationship Skills
Laundry
Personal Hygiene
Public Transportation
Independent Assisted Living Care Plans
At Stephens Place, we strive to create an environment that is supportive of our residents’ physical and emotional well-being. As well as all of the activities listed above, we have a team of professional caregivers that provide all necessary support, care and training for independence throughout the day to help individuals thrive in their own lives.
Residents at Stephen’s Place have individualized care plans to ensure that they are receiving appropriate support for their specific needs. Our team members get to know our residents and help to develop a plan for each unique individual. Through our initial assessment process and ongoing care, we can help to establish what is needed in order for your resident to live as independently as possible at Stephens Place. Please contact us if you have any questions about the community amenities, healthcare, and services.
With the encouragement of certified staff and dynamic programming, we strive to offer a balance of independent living and support for residents so that they have the opportunity to lead meaningful, fulfilled lives at Stephen's Place and in the greater community.
Apartment in Stephen's Place, Vancouver
Cost of Living at Stephen’s Place
Stephen’s Place is located in Vancouver, Washington, just over the river from Portland, Oregon. Rent for the apartments at Stephen’s Place ranges depending on apartment size. While we are private-pay, rent for a Stephen's Place apartment is inclusive of all services, programming, three meals per day, two snacks per day, and care giving from our incredible Residential Coordinators who are certified nursing assistants and here 24 hours a day. In addition to that, we also have two full-time Registered Nurses to help support resident care and medication management.
We offer job coaching/development/placement, arts and crafts, games, horticultural therapy, group fitness classes, activities of daily living, fun and interesting programming inside and outside of the building and many other life-enriching opportunities.
We currently have openings and we provide tours most days and can do that via Zoom or FaceTime right now in light of the current health climate.
If you’re thinking about Stephen’s Place as a living community for a family member, friend or person under your care, we are happy to connect over the phone as well to answer any other questions you might have at this time.