After I became disabled in 1959,
I moved from my house intoa nurs-
ing home because I didn't realize
1 could live independently. I knew
I didn't want to spend the rest of
my life in a nursing home - I wanted
to contribute to the community.
Then I began to watch other dis-
abled people going through some
of the same problems I was going
through, and I wanted to resolve
the situation.

Some disabled individuals in
Berkeley, CA, and in Massaehu-
setts formed organizations which
dealt with the "independent liv-
ing" concept. I visited the group
in California to see whattheywere
doing and came back to St. Louis
to look into the possibility of form-
ing a group of our own. Although
things move a little slower in Mis-
souri than in California, I began to
see disabled persons dealing with
their own problems. I thought if the
concept worked in Missouri, it could
work anywhere in this country.

Independent living evolves

when disabled personsrealizethey
need physical or personal assis-
tance, and they pool their profes-
sional backgrounds and personal
experiences to form a base for
action. I lived in a nursing home
only because I needed physical
and financial support. I figured
the financial support was there if
I could only find the physical as-
sistance. I knew my own needs
and physical limitations. One of
the main focuses of independent
living is to develop a good atten-
dant program. It seems to be one of
our biggest problems. When a dis-
abled individual needs attendant
services and comes into an inde-
pendent living center for that sup-
port, he or she can learn from other
people's experiences. They share
problems with others and get peer
support.

Role modeling also plays an im-
portant part of the independent
living program. That is when an
individual can come to the center
and observe other disabled per-

sons going on with their lives in a
natural and normal way. They talk
about how they're going to mow
their lawns, theirfam'ilies, andwho
will do the shopping. .The visitors
develop confidence because they
figure if others can live indepen-
dently, they can, too.

The independent living concept
is very important to the entire re-
habilitation process because dis-
abled individuals are becoming a
part of that rehabilitation process
at a professional level. We need
to realize that disabled individuals
play a large advocacy role in mak-
ing sure that favorable legisiation
is passed concerning their needs.
We've seen a lot of progress in
the area of the Rehabilitation Act
and rehabilitation programs, but
the only way we can continue to
grow is to expand the involvement
of disabled persons in the move-
ment. Health care professionals
and the handicapped need to work
hand-in-hand to accomplish some
of our goals. 0