(Crystal Brockington left, Stephanie Klima right) BACKSTORY Stephanie is one of the dozens of individuals the IMAGE Center has helped transition from living in a nursing facility to living independently in the community. 8 years ago, Stephanie was placed in a group home after being diagnosed with pulmonary embolism. She was then moved to assisted…
by Joseph Barrett Disabilities are a part of the diversity that is found in society. While a disability may bring with it functional limitations, societal stereotyping, and lack of opportunity—it may also bring certain advantages in the right situation. In fact, the advantage may be so dramatic that others fail to…
By Lori Fitzell New Programs For those of you who haven’t heard, there have been recent changes to the Medicaid Waiver programs in Maryland. Beginning in January of this year, the Living at Home waiver and the Older Adults waivers merged to become the Community Options Waiver. This is a great thing because now, the…
Kathryn Wallace As an Independent Living Specialist, part of my job is to have Information and Referral sessions with consumers. During these sessions, the consumer talks about an issue they are having at the moment, and are seeking some resources to help solve the issue that they might be having. The most common reason people…
People with disabilities should have control over their own lives. Most people agree with this statement. Practically everyone who works in the disability field feels that self-determination is the key to a successful and independent life. We encourage learning to travel alone, managing your money, taking charge of your health care, and more. However as…