The Need
The Independence Together Capital Campaign will provide renovations, upgrades and modifications that improve our services.
Updates will increase engagement, communication and mobility, and help to create an environment that enhances learning and skill development.
Renovations, upgrades and modifications will enable us to:
- Provide advanced assistive technologies to increase engagement, communication, and mobility;
- Make critical accessibility and safety modifications to accommodate the needs of an increasing number of people who are aging, are in wheelchairs, have autism and severe physical needs;
- Create a warmer, more tranquil environment to lessen environmental stimulation;
- Create learning and skill development opportunities that will enhance inclusive community involvement with independence.
Who Depends Upon Lifetime’s Day Services?
Lifetime Assistance provides a lifetime of love and support to 1800 people with developmental disabilities and is a vital resource in our community. About half of those we serve in Day Services are supported at the three centers in need of renovations.
Lowry Center
79 people with developmental disabilities are supported at this center at 100 Horizon Park Drive in Clarkson. The Lowry Center supports a diverse population of individuals including those with severe medical frailties, dementia and autism.
Paul Road Center
This center at 425 Paul Road in Chili supports 107 people with developmental disabilities including people with high needs, autism and physical needs.
Weiland Road Center
50 people (currently seniors) with developmental disabilities are supported at this center at 707 Weiland Road in Greece.
What Has Changed?
Who we serve and how we support people have changed. Three major groups of individuals receive support at the three Day Services Centers.
- 200% increase in autism diagnoses since 2000
- Over 1/3 of young adults use mobility equipment
- Increase in dementia for people with Down syndrome
People who are aging and have dementia
- People with developmental disabilities are living much longer and many are surviving their parents, making the entire family unit more challenging to manage.
- For adults with Down syndrome, at least 25% will be affected with dementia after age 40, with 70% affected with dementia after age 60.
- The number of adults with developmental disabilities we care for who are 60 years and older is projected to double within the next ten years. Many of these older adults will experience the effects of aging up to 20 years sooner than their non-disabled peers, including a greater risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
- With early intervention for those over age 65 with Down syndrome, people can continue to learn. Lives can be improved.
Young adults with high physical needs
Medically frail young adults with high physical needs need a more accessible environment
- Without medical advances, these individuals most likely wouldn’t have survived a few years ago.
- More than one-third use mobility equipment, requiring a more accessible environment.
People on the autism spectrum
People on the autism spectrum are one of the fastest growing groups we serve. We expect the number of people we serve with autism to double again in the next 10 years.
- They need for a quieter, calmer environment that is conducive to learning and personal growth, promotes learning and communication, enhances self-direction and minimizes stimulation overload.
Read about Sean
The need to express oneself can be difficult for someone with autism. Sean has experienced tremendous emotional growth at Lifetime, which will be further enhanced with a quieter environment and wider variety of activities available in the renovated centers.