Independent Living Institute www.independentliving.org

 

Women,
various disabilities,
aging with disabilities

Resources


Genskow, J.K ."Independent Living Programs and services for Older persons with Disabilities",The Journal of Rehabilitation. Vol. 54, No. 4, October/November/December 1988.

Assessment of the role of Independent Living programs (ILPs) in providing services to older persons with disabilities. A national sample of 200 ILPs are surveyed and include members and percentages for elderly clients, services offered, age at occurrences of disability, and plans for services to this population. Low response rate (30% return with 25% usable) and partial response on some items challenge representativeness. Appears that at least 80% of ILPs do serve elderly and that some serve relatively high numbers of them. More research needed to define differences between responses to disability at various times of life. Orthopedic disabilities appear most often served, and emotional least often, regardless of age at onset. Authors suggest need for more services to help older ILP consumers who are living in either their own homes or with relatives or friends continue to live independently. Appears to be considerable interest on part of ILPs toward working with older persons with disabilities. Needed additional resources identified as better and appropriate housing, transportation, home helpers, community awareness including marketing of IL philosophy and needs of elderly persons with disabilities. Possibility of overlapping services which are offered through existing programs for the elderly.

Genskow, J.R. Independent Living and the Elderly Disabled in Denmark. Sangamon State University, IL. World Rehabilitation Fund, Inc. International Exchange of Experts and Information in Rehabilitation, 1986.

A World Rehabilitation Fund Fellowship Report on services and programs for the elderly disabled in Denmark. Without benefit of abstract, table of contents, or index, this report attempts to chronicle the author's study trip to Denmark to collect data on the disabled elderly which the author believes will be useful for a variety of U.S. audiences. The author chiefly sought to learn how the Independent Living model, which arose from community work with younger persons, was working when applied to an elderly, disabled population. Essentially, the author interviewed both the elderly themselves as well as care givers at their "living sites" and places of work. He also collected national statistics. Among the many findings to emerge from this report are: the Danes believe that since taxes are so high, the government should take over care for those in need; as in other places, the Danish population is growing older; there are many programs intended to encourage elderly Danes to stay at home; the Danes are in part reversing their traditional Socialist model of the state caring for the needy by encouraging individual initiative; Independent Living is seen as the most desirable life style for the elderly disabled; Decision-making power lies with local communities rather than the state; and home health service is provided to encourage staying at home.

Address: Prof. Jack R. Genskow, Sangamon State University, Human Development Counselling, Springfield, Ill 62708, United States.

J. Ryan & F. Thomas, The Politics of Mental Handicap, 1984.

The following resources are published by the Independent Living Ressearch Utilization Program, Houston:

Sigelman, Carol and Jerry Parham. "Independent Living and Mental Retardation: The Role of the Independent Living Program". Issues in Independent Living No. 4. Houston: ILRU Program, 1981.

For persons with limited familiarity with the field of intellectual disabilities, the authors provide a brief history of the movement and describe the present mental retardation service network, giving particular emphasis to services that pertain to Independent Living. To assist administrators of Independent Living centers to determine how they may serve persons with retardation, the authors discuss ways that relevant service agencies, centers, and consumer organizations can collaborate to establish a division of labor that will result in a coherent network of alternatives.

Petal, Marla. "Independent Living and Deafness: Incorporating Deaf Clients into the Independent Living Network". Issues in Independent Living Vol. 1. Houston: ILRU Program, 1980.

This monograph addresses the need for Independent Living centers to include people with hearing impairments among their service constituency. It includes an annotated checklist of services that the author has identified as minimal requirements for Independent Living on the part of a person with deafness. It concludes with profiles of five programs (not Independent Living centers) which provide Independent Living services to this population.

Address: ILRU at Texas Institute for Rehabilitation, 2323 S. Shepherd, Suite 1000, Houston, TX 77019, United States.

The following resources are published by the Research and Training Center on Independent Living, University of Kansas:

Jones, M L; & Ulicny, G R (1986). "IL perspective: Applications to services for adults with developmental disabilities." In J A Summers (Ed.), The right to grow: An introduction to adults with developmental disabilities. Baltimore: Paul H Brookes. Reproduced with permission. Copyright 1986 by Paul H Brookes.

Discusses principle of normalization and how it can enhance Independent Living for persons with developmental disabilities.

Ward, M, Summer, C, Victor, J, Swirsky, J, Brennan, D, & Summerville, J (1986). Toward transition: Model approaches to IL services for disabled youth. Lawrence: RTC/IL, University of Kansas.

Four organizations: CIL, Berkeley; HAIL, Denver; Human Resource Center, Albertson, NY; Services for IL, Euclid, OH; and the U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Special Ed. and Rehab. Services, describe their programs to facilitate a more successful transition from school to community life for young people with disabilities.

Turnbull, A P, Summers, J A, & Brotherson, M J (1984). Working with families with disabled members: A family systems approach. Lawrence: RTC/IL, University of Kansas.

Outlines a family systems approach to serving disabled persons and their families. Emphasis is on interaction, life cycle changes, and coping with stress.

Brotherson, M J (1984). "Families and independent living: An interview with Colleen Starkloff." Independent Living Forum, 2 (2).

Interview with Starkloff describing her work with families at Paraquad, St. Louis begins an issue devoted to families with disabled members.

Brotherson, M J, Turnbull, A P, Summers, J A, & Turnbull, H R (1986). "Fathers of disabled children." In Robinson and Barrett, (Eds.), Fatherhood. Baltimore: University Park Press.

Uses a system approach to review various reactions of fathers from different family structures to their disabled children.

Scott, S (1981). "Family systems". Lawrence: RTC/IL, University of Kansas. Presentation for Conference on Independence, University of Kansas.

Discusses family decision making with focus on independence for mentally disabled persons.

Brooks, D (1982). "Independent living and women with disabilities". Lawrence: RTC/IL, University of Kansas.

Discusses unique concerns and complex choices disabled women face.

Address: RTC/IL, 4089 Dole Bldg./LSI,University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States

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