Catholic Social Services is hoping individuals in Lacombe and Blackfalds will open their doors as part of the Home Support Program. 

The Program connects individuals with mild to moderate developmental disabilities to support and care providers through a mutually beneficial living arrangement. 

No special experience is needed, as CSS provides ample training and has a regulated match process to ensure the pair is a good fit for all involved. 

Jean Flanders and Karen McIntyre will be celebrating three years together through the Home Support Program on April 1, 2020. 

"I’ve always been a caregiver, at my job and with different people in my family. I got introduced to the program from someone at work and contacted CSS, went through the interviews and everything. It wasn’t long before they said we have someone who might be interested in moving into your home," Flanders explained. 

"It takes a while to get to know somebody, but here we are three years later and Karen’s part of our family. We do lots of stuff together. I’d miss her if she wasn’t here."

McIntyre said the program has given her some independence, but more importantly, it makes her feel welcomed and supported. 

"Things have changed progressively, like with the house chores. She’s taught me a lot of new stuff to cook, instead of me just making kraft dinner all the time. I just started opening up to Jean a couple of years ago. Before I came here, no one actually listened to me."

"Now, I’m starting to open up more and more each day and now I feel that someone’s actually listening instead of being ignored."

Together, the pair have worked on skills such as money management, healthy eating habits and understanding household chores and responsibilities. Of course, the two often spent time together in more relaxed ways as well, and have been able to build a friendship through their match. 

Home Support Providers are given a monthly payment to help manage the added costs around the home, but adults who are clients in the program also pay an agreed-upon rental payment for the room and board. 

As well, all Home Support Providers are given an extensive amount of training before the program really gets underway. 

"One thing I will say is that CSS doesn’t just give you somebody to live in your home and hope for the best. They give you training and we all have kinds of courses that we take to learn how to deal with different things that might come up," Flanders explained. 

"Different people have different disabilities, maybe it’s behaviors or something else. They really do give you the tools that you need to do the job, and I think that’s really important. Most people don’t know those things. I’ve done this all my life. I have a daughter who now lives in a group home, but I looked after her for 19 years - I’m pretty used to looking after people."

McIntyre said that this experience has proved to be a more positive one than previous living arrangements she'd had, or experiences with other agencies. 

"I’m more of a people person, not a loner. I used to live alone, and that never worked out because I was very depressed and I used to isolate myself. I used to never go out, I just stayed in my room. I can now go out on my own, I have someone who I can talk to, someone who actually supports me when I’m feeling down and someone I actually trust," she said. 

To get involved as either a client or as a home provider, contact Catholic Social Services to start the application process.