An intellectual disability is usually defined as a deficit in someone’s mental ability. This deficit is wide-ranging and includes experimental learning, reasoning, and adaptive functioning. People who struggle to meet these developmental standards find it hard to meet the right social responsibilities and gain personal independence.
Contrary to popular beliefs, many adults with intellectual disabilities can live a great, productive, and happy life. Residential care providers usually offer such adults the dignity and independence that they deserve, while also offering the behavioral and medical support they need. This page explains the benefits of residential care for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Understanding residential care
Before you can decide if programs for adults with mental retardation are good for you or your loved one, it makes sense to understand what it means living at most residential care centers. Keep in mind that residential care means different things to many people. But it is usually associated with living arrangements where a specific number of people with intellectual disabilities may live together as roommates.
When people with intellectual disabilities get appropriate interventions and support, they usually live healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives. But they may still inevitably experience some challenges. These include attention problems, memory problems, low self-esteem, difficulties interacting socially, and inability to live on their own.
This is the reason why you need the help of a residential care provider. The care professionals can give you or your loved one the support you need. Individuals with intellectual disabilities can choose a level of care that meets their expectations, which can help everyone be happier. Besides, having the right care can allow you to get what you need without feeling patronized or overwhelmed.
Benefits of residential care for adults with intellectual disabilities
Day-to-day living can be challenging for most people with intellectual disabilities. The good news is that at residential care facilities there is always someone to ensure that every person is safe, accounted for, appropriately fed, and clothed.
Many residential care providers also have a treatment team that makes sure that they manage things, such as medication schedules, appointments, finances, and transportation. This can bring significant comfort to the loved one of a person with intellectual disabilities. This is because you desire to support your intellectual disability person’s independence while they are in a safe environment. Here are some of the benefits of residential care homes for people with intellectual disabilities:
Community connection
A residential care home is a homelike environment that may have rules to enable it to run properly. But these rules also help people with intellectual disabilities live in a real community that has a continuity of individuals around them.
One of the most challenging aspects of being a person with intellectual disability is a feeling of isolation. In most cases, it’s the unintended result of loved ones with well-meaning reasons that cause this. You see, some loved ones may think that they are protecting their loved ones from the wrong kinds of attention.
So living in a residential care home can give a person with intellectual disability people to interact with. The residents usually can become a supportive community that helps one another to live independent lives.
There is nothing more fulfilling than to see adults with intellectual disabilities build real and meaningful connections with other roommates. Studies indicate that connecting with other people and having a sense of belonging is important to being human. The brain, even those with intellectual disabilities look for connections. No wonder, people with intellectual disabilities usually thrive in residential care homes.
The basic tasks
Adults with intellectual disabilities can sometimes find it hard to do some basic chores. So residential care professionals help with housekeeping tasks based on their capabilities. In some cases, for safety, professional care staff may do most of the chores, though anyone can do them regardless of how small a task is to contribute to the smooth running of the facility. This helps bring a sense of belonging and empowering each resident.
Even better, residents sometimes have outdoor time. Being able to go outdoors without any problem has its benefits. Residents can go to a backyard just to get good fresh air, and the change of scenery is good for their well-being.
Aside from these, medication management is another important activity that happens in many residential care facilities. After all, almost every person can use some medication to improve their health.
Regardless of whether it’s only one pill per day or any other combination of medication several times each day, you may need some help to make everything go right. Residential care providers have trained staff that keeps track of medication and monitors their administration.
24/7 supervision
Adults with intellectual disabilities can often need some extra assistance handling specific aspects of daily life. With those who have physical challenges, they may only need some help with logistics like house cleaning, grocery shopping, and getting from one area to another. But adults with intellectual disabilities require tactful and subtle guidance to get things done while those with developmental disabilities may require all the assistance and guidance they can get.
No doubt, it can be hard for families with intellectual disability adults to find the right balance between offering them the best care they need and also allowing their loved ones to have independence and privacy. When this happens, your best option is to get your loved one into a residential care facility.
As you have seen, there are various benefits of residential care facilities for adults with intellectual disabilities. However, it’s important to make sure that you choose residential care which has a space ideal for your loved one to feel dignified and safe.
A good residential care facility should be clean, well landscaped, in good repair, and it should have the right facilities to accommodate adults with intellectual disabilities. It means it needs to put away sharp objects to prevent people with impulse-control issues. Also, the home should have caring and knowledgeable staff members who are familiar with the unique needs of the residents.
