Anyone live in Southern California?. . .

[Journeyman]

My brother, who was injured 25 years ago in Alaska, has lived the last 8 years in Colorado. He’s hemiplegic (paralyzed on his left side) and uses a Hoveround for mobility. He wants to return to California and has asked me to help make arrangements. He wants to remain as independent as possible, but most of his doctors and care attendants think he should be in a more assisted, possibly group situation.

He can’t stay long in either my home or my other brother’s home, since neither place is wheelchair accessible. And he doesn’t want to stay with either of us if he can avoid it. He’s fiercely independent, and will probably accept anywhere other than with us in order to maintain his sense of self.

In Colorado, he has his own apartment and two care attendants who make regular visits to help. The person with the California State offices whom I talked with last week told me he could be homeless if he comes here. I visited an Independent Living home but they’d take all his money and then some, and still not provide the same level of care he currently gets in Colorado -- and I don’t think he could use their facility anyway, since his chair’s too big to get through the doorways and halls. Finally, the people at the local assisted living facility say he’s welcome and his SS money should pay for everything they provide and leave him with a little extra. But it’s a group situation and I just don’t believe he’ll like it, no matter how nice it is.

The Assisted Living facility might be a good place to start, since it’ll give him a place to stay while he looks for an apartment. But what are his chances of finding an apartment, and more importantly, being able to afford one? He wants to return to Southern California in part because Denver is too cold, but will he find the official reception to be far chillier here than in the Rocky Mountains? And given what he has in Colorado, is he better off staying there?

Any advice or steerage towards someone who could help will be greatly appreciated. Our family lives in Riverside and Orange counties, but I’ve no idea where my brother may alight as it’ll depend on where he can make the best arrangements.

[Spinzonner]

1. There's a lot of Google references

but I think he needs to decide where first and then locate the resources. As you well know, Califnornia's just too big to try it the other way.

And I think he should live near either or both of you so he can use you (both) as emergency resources and to provide some oversight on things.

[Banazir]

2. Try In-Home Support Services (IHSS)

An "assisted living" facility is often going to be fairly institutional. Try to find a wheelchair-accessible apartment and get him IHSS or something similar. (I don't know the exact process for that but it does exist somewhere along the line.)

[deek]

3. First site for resources:

Protection and Advocacy
http://www.pai-ca.org/

And Family Caregiver Alliance
http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/home.jsp

I'd also reccomend emailing a Parent Training/Information Center (while they still have the funding before arnie axes them) to hook you up with another family/individual that has similar needs in the counties you are looking into relocating. They'll let you know the difference between what the agencies say is available and how it actually works for us.

Disability chat rooms are great for this also.

Parents Helping Parents is the international hub for the PTIs
http://www.php.com/.

[KamaAina]

4. Try your local Center for Independent Living

There are twelve centers in the L.A. area alone; find the one that serves your community here:

http://www.ilru.org/Directory/california.html

California (Berkeley) is the birthplace of the independent living movement. This sort of issue, people at risk for institutional placement, is fairly hot-button right now, so they should be able to help you.