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In August of 2012, the word “home” took on a special new meaning for five people in the Advocates family. Joshua, James, Denise, Glen, and Philip, all adults with developmental disabilities and complex physical needs, moved into a custom-built house on a wooded lot in Northborough, designed and decorated to each of their specific needs, tastes, and lifestyles. But it’s not just a house – it’s a testament to what’s possible when Advocates partners with individuals to devise creative solutions to life’s toughest challenges.
When these five people could no longer stay in their existing group homes and the only alternative was a nursing home, the Advocates team made it their mission to provide a better solution – one that prioritized the residents’ active lifestyles in the community, their relationships with friends and family, and their evolving physical and safety needs.
Advocates staff, the builders, the residents, and their families collaborated on everything from the layout featuring extra-wide hallways and an open floor plan, to state-of-the-art accessibility options to maximize both safety and comfort. Joshua, James, Denise, Glen, and Philip got together several times before move-in to get to know each other and jointly decide on how to make the house welcoming with personal touches, like painting a common room Boston Red Sox red.
“The residents take great pride in their home, says Erika Schlegel, assistant residential director. “We all do. It’s a wonderful place to live, work, and visit.”
In the two years since move-in day, the house really has become a home, not just for the residents, but for staff and the family and friends who regularly drop by to visit or watch Boston sports teams on TV.
“I love my home. I love when my family visits and we have coffee together,” says Joshua.
Everyone involved with the house contributes to the strong sense of community and partnership. Framed snapshots on the walls capture old and new memories, and the rooms are filled with laughter and music from old records. The residents remain active around town, but know they always have their own place to come home to, for good.
