Caritas charitable fund and Swiss Embassy open supported accommodation house for young people with disabilities in Lviv region

With the support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, the "DiM" supported accommodation house was opened in the Lviv region in Stryi.

The Lviv Regional Military Administration reports this.

What is the problem?

Psychologists say it is tough to accustom people who have lived in boarding schools for many years to a relatively independent life. In boarding schools, certain states are regulated with the help of sedatives without delving into a person's individual needs. And the opportunities for socialization in a boarding school are entirely different.

Supported living is a different approach; it is not isolation in critical cases but an attempt to support, find out the reasons for behavior, suggest, and teach something useful.

For example, take care of your basic needs: wash, cook, brush your teeth, and make your bed. Such usual skills for a healthy person may be inaccessible to someone with experience living in a boarding school.

Even before the war, the Bureau of the World Health Organization in Ukraine noted that eight million Ukrainians live with mental disorders. The idea of houses of supported living is an interesting option to organize a comfortable living space for such citizens. After all, close friends or acquaintances are not always ready to help.

This idea is currently possible in Ukraine mainly thanks to grant support.

What is the solution?

As part of the "Mental Health for Ukraine MH4U" project of the charity fund "Caritas of the Stryi Diocese," aiming to help people with mental disabilities arrange their own homes, and backed by the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, a "DiM" supported living house was recently opened in Stryi.

How does it work?

The house for young people was opened within the framework of the "Mental Health for Ukraine MH4U" charity fund "Caritas of Stryi Diocese" project, which is aimed at helping people with disabilities of the mental spectrum arrange their own homes.

It is noted that eight young people with disabilities will live here, who, thanks to three assistants and two social workers, will be able to start an independent life.

^{Photo: loda.gov.ua}

Social workers will be at the supported living facility 24 hours a day. A psychologist is also assigned to the house.

In such places of supported living, young people will be able to socialize and live the most fulfilling, high-quality life, receiving the necessary support.

"The main stereotype that prevails in society about people with disabilities of the mental spectrum is that they will not be able to live independently and will need constant help, but many stories prove that if parents support their children, love them, and create appropriate conditions, then this brings great results," the report says.

^{Photo: loda.gov.ua}

Step by step, the Lviv region attracts partners to support the elderly and people with disabilities. In addition, the Coordination Center's strategy for supporting the civilian population at the Lviv Regional Military Administration is to create inpatient care centers and supported living for those who need social support.

For reference:

The first entertainment park for children with disabilities in Ukraine was opened in Lviv.

Rubryka also reported that the websites of Ukrainian state bodies will become accessible to people with impaired vision or hearing.