The Future is Now of Kentucky Project is a program designed to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in making future plans for residential, financial and legal future plans for their later years. The purpose of The Future is Now is to engage families and their relative with a disability to jointly make plans for the future by preparing a Letter of Intent at regional training sessions that will identify the dreams and plans for the future of the individual with a disability.
Who Should Participate?
Persons with developmental disabilities and their caregivers, such as parents of minors and adults, legal guardians, persons serving as power of attorney, siblings, other family members and friends.
Why Should I Participate?
Planning for the future is a task that all people face as they grow older and the need for adults with developmental disabilities and their families to make future plans due to declining health, changing roles and retirement issues. Without adequate plans in place these adults often face disruptive transitions when families can no longer provide the care, inadequate legal and financial safeguards that can place a strain on siblings and other relatives.
What Does the Training Include?
The training consists of five 2.5 hour small group sessions that are designed to give families and their relative with a disability the freedom to express their dreams for the future, equip them with the information and support to overcome barriers to planning, and facilitate their collaboration in making future plans. A sixth session will be scheduled to include an attorney to answer questions.
Session content addresses corresponding sections of the Letter of Intent:
- Expressing dreams and concerns for the future
- Strengthening and expanding the individual’s network of friends and supports through his/her community activities and social roles.
- Identifying the individual’s desired future living arrangement.
- Specifying future education, employment and/or retirement plans.
- Designating a successor caregiver.
Overview of Training
Session 1: The Big Step
Explain the purpose of the training, discusses the Letter of Intent, and provides overview of each session.
Session 2: Building Relationships
Discuss how participating in community activities provides opportunities to meet people and make new friends.
Session 3: Housing
Familiarizes people with disabilities and their families with the types of housing that is available in their community.
Session 4: Postsecondary Education, Education, Work, and Retirement
Focuses on one or more of these topics depending on interests of participants.
Session 5: Who Will Be the Keeper of the Dream?
Participants specify the desired characteristics of a successor caregiver, identify safeguards to ensure the future plan will be implemented, address any outstanding future planning issues
Session 6: Attorney
Participants will have the opportunity to meet with an attorney and ask questions about issues.
*Future training’s will occur soon. Dates, times, and locations will be announced at a later date!*
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