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In everyday life we require a similar scope of assistance, rehabilitation or transport. Organizing a joint care provided by personal assistants, rehabilitation specialists, providing transport, doing shopping online etc. is more effective, easier and cheaper. The most important factor is the fact that we can render neighbours’ assistance to one another in this way. In emergency situations we can be sure that the neighbour reacts in an appropriate way and calls for help.
The residents of the apartment complex act for the community and neighbourhood depending on their qualifications (lawyer, specialist in the field of programmes directed at the disabled, language specialist, IT specialist, journalist, musician). The diversity of the qualifications enables the establishment of the Support Center for Local Community. Participants are active inhabitants, however, only to the extent allowed for by their current health condition and the level of abilities and experience.
The concept embraces professional activity: self-administration, working in line with their qualifications (office of legal counseling, helping with learning and additional classes for pupils from neighbouring schools, counseling in the field of relevant issues concerning the disabled, language teaching, IT teaching).
All project participants are or were professionally and socially active.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE APARTMENTS:
The apartments within the scope of the project the Home of Mutual Aid will be:
- located in one building, on the ground floor,
- the Home will be comprised of the following, depending on the received funding:
PART A:
- 5 (or more) one-room or two-room individually adjusted apartments for the organizers – people developing the project,
- 2 functional apartments (optional, depending on the amount of received funding):
* THE FIRST APARTMENT: 2-room apartment including: a room for the organizers serving administrative functions and running classes for the local community (legal counseling, information point for the disabled from the city), the second room for assistants working for the disabled residents;
* THE SECOND ONE-ROOM APARTMENT (single or double) – a place where the motorically disabled can test the usefulness of various solutions and technical equipment during their temporary stay before taking the decision to apply for co-financing. An apartment equipped with model conveniences for the disabled (remote controlled height of the washbasin, windows and doors opened with voice or remote control, photocell controlled taps, beds with adjustable height, stair climber, lifts and other devices specially designed for the disabled, including e.g. furniture).
Part B: (depending on received funding):
Common part: a living room with a terrace and kitchen annexe for the sake of integration, organization of lectures, meetings, speeches and other forms of professional-cultural activity which can be organized due to professional qualifications;
Part C (depending on received funding):
Independent area, provided for the inhabitants from the outside; serves two functions: makes life of the hosts easier and serves the community. This part will be comprised of:
a – beauty and hair saloon adjusted to the needs of clients who are wheelchair users,
b – rehabilitation saloon, a small room with a bed for individual exercises: slings,
c - a small shop with diversified assortment.
3. FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SYSTEM
* Apartments and common parts are the ownership of the Association One.pl. As a target, they are voluntarily destined for the disabled; in case of death or resignation – the Association indicates another person to be the resident of the Home. This is a guarantee of project continuation for many years.
* The apartments operate on the basis of mutual help and support – like in a family – and constitute a basis for everyday functioning and getting external help of assistants and others. A unique quality will be a two-level care: regular assistants employed for all residents as well as neighbour care consisting in mutual observation and help with everyday issues;
* Due to appropriate adjustment of the apartments to individual needs of people with disabilities, we will create a place where it would be possible to live professional life depending on talents or professional experience. It will be a combination of a place of residence with a work place where people will be able to be socially and professionally active. This concept allows for a maximally long continuation of life activity.
* Thanks to joint administrative and organizational efforts, gainful activity and availability of support benefits the maintenance costs will be lower than fees in institutional care centers.
* Regular contact with neighbours, system of mutual monitoring, possible help in issues which do not require calling an assistant (e.g. dressing a jacket, giving a meal, small cleaning activities etc.), doing shopping together (some of us do it online, group shopping reduces the costs of transport), using a group specialised transportation, using the services of a carer or other forms of support – these are undeniable advantages of the system of “CARE APARTMENTS.” In this way we can combine independence, protection, rationalization of care expenditures, activity and possibility of participating in social life and being a part of local community as long as it is possible.