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Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff Disabled helping disabled to an independent life To help area disabled lead a more independent productive life is the objecâ€" tive of a new Kitchenerâ€"Waterioo organiâ€" zation, the Independent Living Centre. A communityâ€"based group funded by the federal and provincial governments under the sponsorship of the Mennonite Central Committee, the Independent Living Centre develops direct service programs to meet the needs of the physically disabled. The goal of the centre, explained ILC researcher Helen McMichael is to work towards ~far greater integration of the disabled into the community â€" to allow the disabled to take responsibility for their own lives and for their level of participaâ€" tion in today‘s society." What makes the _ independent Living Centre different from the majority of agencies providing services to the disabled is that with this group those planning the programs are themselves disabled. "ILC is a new idea â€" up until now people provided services to the disabled. Now it‘s the disabled helping the disabled to a more independent life," McMichael said. The centre, which opened its doors for business late last year, is a first in Canada, although more than 200 centres for indeâ€" pendent living are currently operating in the United States. A wide variety of programs and services are now being developed by the staff of the ILC out of their headquarters at 234 King StE.. Kitchener including a peer counâ€" to marntain skiltls and to remediate w eaknesses grades | to i. 80e bb6?L _ ‘St. Jude‘s s $ m ; «4 Summer School â€" WE ALSO CARRYA FULL LINE OF GREEN CROSS PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES «iPea‘ter | id T :' x M *# x & e | x3 «l t) a i C0 G@ * © 4 C R® 4& tm Home of the THE LAWN & GARDEN PROBLEM SOLVERS . selling program, oneâ€"toâ€"one advocacy proâ€" gram and a housing registry program offering information on all available housing for the physically handicapped in the Twin Cities. Last month the ILC witnessed the official opening and dedication of its first major undertaking, an apartment attenâ€" dant care project. The centre offers 24â€"hour support care for disabled adults requiring assistance with daily living activities in 10 apartments at 50 Mooreâ€" gate Cres., Kitchener. = GLENBRIAR *‘ YOME HARDWARE Tenants lease the apartments directly from the building landlord, but the ILC makes necessary renovations, such as widening doorways, lowering shelves and installing grab bars, to make the unit accessible for the disabled. On call 24 hours a day are ILC staff who assist with housekeeping, meal preparaâ€" tion andâ€" wheelchair transfers when help is needed. The attendants work out of a separate office located in the apartment building. ‘"The attendants don‘t live in the person‘s apartment and don‘t interfere with their lives in any way," said McMiâ€" chael. Five of the apartments have already been rented, two will be filled within the next week and applications have been received for the remaining units. The centre also provides free technical advice on how to modify buildings for increased accessibility to any person, group or business in Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo. An innovative program expected to be We Make Growing Things _â€"â€"â€"AA AÂ¥ Pleasure Prices in effect at the above store only getting underway later this month is ILC‘s vacation relief program, which has been designed to provide relief attendant care to families and attendants responsible for the looking after a disabled individual. The vacation relief program has been funded through a federal Summer Canada 1983 student employment program grant and will employ five students. one as a project manager, four as the relief faciliâ€" tators. "We‘re finding that the need exists for families to get a break from the steady responsibility of caring for a disabled person," explained McMichael, who is coâ€"ordinating the project. Under the program, which Canada, a student facilitator s M.S.L. 21.99 Lawn Fertilizer and Weed Killer Use Weed‘n Feed with Killex to fertilize the lawn and kill weeds in one easy operation. Killex controls hard to control weeds such as Chickweed, Clover, Knotweed (Ironweed), Black Medic, Creeping Charlie, as well as Dandelions, Plantains and many others. All season use. Formula: 20â€"10â€"5 plus Killex. 1 x 5 kg â€" covers 250 sq. metres 1 x 10 kg â€" covers 500 sq. metres WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY. Helen McMichael is a first in is available 14" to provide attendant care of a disabled person for a maximum of two weeks: the student can either Jook after the individual in his home when the family is away or accompany the family on its vacation. The service is available to any resident of, or visitor to, the Twin Cities. Each student will receive two weeks training in care of the disabled by health care professionals before starting the program. _ The vacation relief program is a test project which if successful may be instiâ€" tuted as a yearâ€"round program of the ILC. McMichael emphasized that all proâ€" grams offered at the centre are designed to compliment, not replace, those currentâ€" ly offered to the disabled. 262 Weber St. N. Waterloo 886â€"2950 ols ® .:l u. _ L _ GREEN CROSS tContinued on page 11} rage o *