Imagine having a young family and then a rare genetic disorder begins to erode your health so that you lose your ability to walk or talk in your 20s. Or you experience vision and balance loss that dramatically affects your day-to-day life as a teenager, only to learn in your early 20s that you have multiple sclerosis. Imagine driving to work, getting into a car accident, and being left blind and unable to use your legs.
“The people living at Nigel House are just regular, ordinary people who had something happen outside their control, and they’re trying to make the best of it. The better the place that they’re living, the better the chance of living a better life.”
Avril, Mother of Nigel House resident Ava
These are just some of the realities affecting people who live at Nigel House. They have a range of disabilities that are the result of trauma, birth anomalies, or neurological degenerative diseases. This can affect their physical, developmental and mental health: each resident has a unique combination of complex health conditions. They face enormous challenges when it comes to living a life of dignity and independence, and there are very few places where they can receive the support they need as a younger adult requiring long term care.
Imagine if someone you loved dearly was in this situation. You’d want them to be in a place where they could live to their full potential, in an environment with few obstacles and limitations. You’d want them to have a safe, welcoming space to share time with people close in age and with similar interests.
The people who live at Nigel House are too old for the services offered to children with disabilities, and they are too young for a typical long term care home where the average age is 84 and the majority of the population live with dementia. That’s why Nigel House is so important. It gives adults the care and support they need, along with fun, engaging and relevant programs and activities. Nigel House supports people’s independence and helps them be part of the community – not part of a facility.
