Independent Living: Brandy’s Story

Stories Of People We Support

Brandy moved from Clarissa Street to Fernwood Park in 2015.  This was at a time that more person centered supports were being adopted by The Arc Monroe and direct care for Brandy meant more opportunities for her to assume responsibility and the associated risks, especially in an independent apartment setting. Soon after she moved to Fernwood, Brandy expressed her desire to visit a close friend in Chicago, Illinois.  She worked to earn her independence with her medication administration, saved her money for her ticket and with all the groundwork laid for daily communication and ensuring Brandy’s safety in case of …

Autism and aging

Staff Perspectives

If you find the below article useful please consider making a donation so we can create more.   The number of people with autism who are entering elderhood is rising dramatically.  Much of the research to date on autism has been focused on children, not on older adults.  As the number of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are on the autism spectrum increase, we as professionals supporting them need to be aware of what is happening to them so we can assist them in leading their best life. REMEMBER:  as all of us age, we become more of …

A good job

Stories Of People We Support

Meet Mike Kirchoff who started his job at ArcWorks, a division of the Arc of Monroe, twenty years ago.  ArcWorks is the contract manufacturing facility on Lyell Avenue in Rochester, NY. A typical day Mike works on the operations floor in assembly.  He works full time Monday through Friday.  A typical day starts at 8:30a when he arrives on the operations floor.  He is hands-on until 10a when he joins a group of colleagues who volunteer locally, cook together, or visit a park.  Mike is back out on the floor after lunch from 12:30 to 3:30. Recently ArcWorks was contracted to …

A living wage for Direct Support Professionals

Advocacy

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide around-the-clock care to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They are professionals who are highly trained in a wide variety of critical areas that include administering medications, giving first aid and CPR, de-escalating dangerous situations, behavioral intervention, and providing for the safety of those they support. Despite the high demands of this job, these dedicated staff do not earn a living wage. Direct Support Professionals make between $10 and $13 per hour. The living wage in New York State is $15.44. What is a living wage? Families and individuals working in low-wage jobs make insufficient …