Transition to Adulthood: Tips for Families from Families

November 25, 2019

On November 7, the John McGivney Children’s (JMCC) hosted two Transition Talk events where former JMCC client families with adult children were invited to meet with parents of current JMCC teen clients. This was a great opportunity for families to share important tips on accessing programs, services and resources that they have found helpful in caring for their adult children with special needs.  

One of the main points that parents shared was the importance of planning for and understanding the process of obtaining a Power of Attorney for Personal Care and Property for their adult child. Families who participated in the talks spent anywhere from $300 to $6000 on this. Therefore, it is important to be informed about this process in advance. A good resource to find more information is Ensemble Understands. This is a parent-directed resource for families caring for someone with a disability. They’ve created A Guide to Guardianship for Adults with a Developmental Disability.  It can be found on their website.

Families also shared that there  are several services available online that offer quick and convenient delivery of a full range of adult and youth incontinence supplies. Parents shared that getting these items delivered was convenient and helped relieve some day-to-day stress. 

On the JMCC website, in the Families section, the Transition to Adulthood page has information on adult programs and funding. JMCC also offers a Transition Clinic for youth ages 16 to 21. This clinic is an opportunity to meet with your child’s therapy team, a social worker and a physician to get information on adult therapy options, referral information for adult specialists, information on social and recreational programs and adult funding sources.  For a referral or more information, speak to your child’s therapist.

The Transition Talks were successful in bringing families together to share experiences, resources and tips with one another. We plan to run similar events in the future.