Options for Independent Living to hold open house

GREEN BAY, WI – (WISS & WGBW) – For 45 years, Options for Independent Living has been helping people find the support and resources needed to live independently with physical disabilities. On June 13th they are celebrating with an open house to show off many of the services offered.

Josh Theis, the Executive Director for Options for Independent Living said the open house from 4 to 7 pm on June 13th is part of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Showcase Model Home on Country Club Road in Green Bay. He said the open house will celebrate the people and community members who donated time, money,  and equipment to make the Showcase Model Home happen. But it’s also a time for people to look ahead.

“The Showcase Model Home is an adaptive accessible environment where people with disabilities can come in. They can check out different home modification designs. We have a bunch of different assistive technology pieces to help keep folks independent in the home,” Theis said. “They can take those pieces home to check it out and try it before they make the expensive purchase of buying it.” 

Theis said the mission of Options for Independent Living is to empower people with disabilities to live independently in their homes and in the community. The organization will help people with any physical disability, including those who are visually impaired or hard of hearing. Some of the services offered include peer support, Information and referral, skills training, and advocacy.  

“We were built on the independent living or advocacy backbone. So we do advocacy,” said Theis. “We come alongside people with disabilities to help advocate for individual service changes or legislative changes.” 

Services offered

Another of the services offered by Options for Independent Living is transition services that can help people leave institutional settings and integrate back into their homes or communities.

“We help transition folks that are in institutional settings like skilled nursing facilities,” said Theis. “Or even high school, to help transition them back into the community or into the real world”

Theis says the journey through disability and independent living is different for each individual. He adds circumstances and level of care can change. 

“We can walk with folks through their disability journey. If there is something that occurs and they think, ‘This may be the outcome,’ and then they learn as they go and get treatment,” said Theis. “They may learn that they don’t need as much assistance. Through the whole journey, we will walk with them.”

Some people don’t need a lot of adaptive technologies in their home, or large renovations, but still can benefit from independent living skills training offered.

“We have people that call us. They have a recent diagnosis. Or they had an accident. Or they were hospitalized and are returning to their home. But are feeling uncomfortable with their skills or abilities,” said Theis. “We will go into their home and help train them, teach them. We’ll build a goal care plan with them.”

Options for Independent Living serves a 17-county area of Northeast Wisconsin and the Fox Valley.  Those counties include the following: Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago.

People looking for information on independent living are welcome to visit the website at https://optionsil.org/ or phone (920) 490-0500.