Developmentally Challenged Adults: Living Quarters

Developmental disabilities are a diverse group of severe chronic conditions that are due to mental and/or physical impairments. These disabilities begin anytime during development up to 22 years of age and usually last throughout a person’s lifetime. People with developmental disabilities have problems with major life skills such as speech, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living. Although some definitive causes of developmental disabilities may never be determined, there are many social, environmental, and physical factors that attribute to the disease; brain injury or infection before, during, or after birth, growth or nutrition problems, abnormalities of chromosomes and genes, babies born extremely premature, drug misuse during pregnancy (including alcohol intake and smoking), and child abuse are just a few. Without special assistance from agencies and organizations, people with disabilities and their families would struggle to meet their needs. Eventually the young adult wants to venture out on their own, or the family needs extra help. That is exactly what these agencies and organizations are there for. Unlike group homes, single or double dwelled homes of the developmentally disabled adults are impacted by cost of living, staffing procedures, and required attention. With cost of living on the rise, these individuals are not granted any slack. Since these are individuals with disabilities, they do receive a disability check from the government. As to how much, depends on their level of disability and if they had ever worked prior to filing for disability. In a single and double dwelled home, the utilities and rent are shared if there is a roommate. If not, it is left solely up to that single person. With group homes, all tenants may pay a set rate for room and board depending on if the home