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It was all. When I think about it now, they threatened me with a complete “fund”, the homeless part, when the owners of the house told me I had to go. It probably would have ended up in a hostel. Or maybe even worse: today I would no longer be alive ”, the man begins to tell the story of his past.
It is difficult to say where Ramūnas would be today, if not for the opportunity to live in a sheltered home. Independence, the ability of a person with a disability to make their own decisions, choose what is best for them, manage their life, are the basic principles that guide the implementation of the Institutional Care Reform. It is important that people who have lived in care institutions for a long time or spend time in medical institutions receive the appropriate services in the community, be part of it.
One such opportunity to promote independence is the sheltered housing service. How Ramūnas got it and how it came before, especially from the beginning.
From a weekly dorm to a host family
The beginning of life in the memory of the interlocutor is alive as if everything had happened today: and the fact that he lived with his parents only until he was 11 years old and had to return to a weekly dormitory after school, at a time when the one that even three very close people had to be buried a month after their death to transfer to a special school boarding school. “Even though I felt lonely at the time, I learned order and discipline in boarding school, I was obedient and helpful to the educators, I tried to do whatever I needed to do,” recalls Ramūnas.
Later, the young man approached strangers, the family of the guardians: “Unfortunately, our relationship did not develop. I didn’t feel loved in that house, so as soon as I was the right age, I started living independently. He worked in factories, he had also received a bedroom, apparently, I do not live badly ”.
A man’s life started to get worse after Lithuania regained its independence. He says he lost his job at the time, which he couldn’t find later, and time passed … “Desperate, I started working for any town, listening to farmers, picking berries, eating mushrooms. I learned many things to survive, not only to recklessly trust people, but also to distinguish between good and bad people. Unfortunately, a lot of alcohol came along with it. That’s just the environment around me. He respected both the influence of the environment and despair and loneliness. There were good people who gave me a hand, encouraged me to change, I lived in a rehabilitation center for more than a year, but my old friends and the environment did not let go of the delighted mud … ”, Ramūnas smiles sadly.
Helping Ramūnas is like rain from a clear sky
At the same time, an employee of the Šiaulėnai nursing home in the Radviliškis district offered Ramūnas to live in sheltered housing. After the Radviliškio Viltis Association for the Care of People with Intellectual Disabilities became a partner of the EU-funded project “From Attention to Opportunities: Developing Community Services”, the president of the Danutė Janušauskienė association offered Egle try your luck
A woman working in medicine for more than 30 years in 2007 admired the daily life of social workers. She says she has volunteered with children before, has 7 years of experience in social work with older people, and has so far lost her job with people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities.
“After starting work, I had to face a whole series of difficulties: it was not easy to find a house in Radviliškis that met the requirements for the provision of services. So the search led to the town of Šeduva. challenge of housing, the search and selection of service recipients began, intensive work with the elderly, they wanted to start working as soon as possible, to become familiar with this work ”, says the interviewee.
Ramūnas was the first client offered to him. “I met him for the first time in an already protected house. Ramuna was accompanied by the president of the community and, helping to settle in, she said:” Ramunas, here is your house, there is no going back, neither here, nor homeless. “
The woman remembers that the first days were full of challenges. He does not hide that there were thoughts that he would not cope with the task that had been entrusted to him, that he thought he would not work for long. “But that was just an initial impression! And I soon realized that this job was simply “carry”. I cannot imagine a day today without visiting the recipients of my services. I care what they do, what they live for, and I also know that they are waiting for me too. Now I tell everyone that they wouldn’t clean me out of here either, ”the woman laughs.
Eglė says that the greatest motivation to continue working are people whose destiny, after giving the necessary help, changes like a magic wand: “The most fun is to see that a person is doing some things for the first time. For example, Ramūnas, fifty years old, starts planning his time for the first time, discovers goals, learns to plan a budget and no longer lives alone in this day.
The settler brought back his daughter
Ramūnas says that by accepting the offered help and settling in a sheltered home, he did not reveal all the letters to the specialists, he kept silent that he has a hobby of drinking.
“The first days in the new house were tremendously difficult … Rules, agreements, control. I was absolutely used to it! Brand’s thoughts fly from here as far as possible. There were both attempts to outwit and dismiss. Who stopped? We talk a lot with Egle. I realized that this was my last chance. I also realized that I accepted those rules or I was fired. I made a promise to change and do it with all my might. For now, hold on ”, the man is proud of himself.
Ramūnas is happy not to break. He felt he was quick to go on, life began to change. “On my Facebook account I boasted that I am changing my lifestyle, that I live very well, in an apartment, and that I accept the help of social workers. And you know what? My daughter, who had not spoken to me before, saw the records herself and found me! The relationship was renewed, communication was established, I visited her as a guest and once invited her to my house. I have a granddaughter, whom my daughter trusts to take care of for a short time ”, the man’s eyes even shine when it comes to the closest people.
He says that he is very eager to help his daughter, because she is not only a father, but also a grandfather. Ramūnas’s sister, who lives in Germany, also appeared. “Our relationship was broken and now we have gotten closer, we communicate every night. I tell him how I am. I was lucky and I was with a friend. Another beneficiary of a protected housing lives with me in the apartment. We coincide perfectly, we become brothers, we become we support, we console ourselves, if something goes wrong, we share everything. I am no longer alone “, the interlocutor sighs happily.
Pride is being useful to those around you
Ramūnas admits that his life fundamentally changed after settling in a sheltered home and receiving help from the employee Egle. It lacks most of the advice when contacting multiple institutions, registering with doctors, and when applications or documents need to be submitted electronically.
“With the help of an employee, we created my life plan. We define what I have to do with time, we discuss ways and means to achieve it. During the global quarantine, he had only one goal: to survive without compromising emotional health. Egle encouraged us to play sports, read, and solve crossword puzzles. I will be proud to have books, but I still don’t have time to read ”, smiles the man.
Ramūnas recalls that during the first quarantine period he felt necessary and useful to those around him. Initially, he took over the ladder on his own initiative; He is still voluntarily washing and scrubbing it not only for himself, but also for other residents of the house. I’m glad your efforts were noticed. She says the apartment buildings she lives in and around are mostly home to single and older women who need a variety of help. Vienas Ramūnas began to ask for help to bring food from the store or medicine from the pharmacy, because she could not do so during the quarantine due to age or illness.
The man felt even more important when the neighbors dared to ask for help to repair the broken door, to improve the plumbing. “And this spring, orders were given to help manage the environment, turn the beds in the gardens and stretch the branches. I already have orders for the summer when the grass starts to grow. I’m a good lawnmower! When they found out that an article would be written about me, these women were very eager to say a good word about me. It’s good for them and fun for me, “smiles Ramūnas.
Employee Eglė adds that those around her are very happy with the Ramūnas neighborhood. Neighbors reveal that if they had known before that socially vulnerable people would live in this apartment, they probably would have objected, they would not agree. Fortunately, Ramūnas found out about the story only after getting to know each other well. He says he would not trade one neighbor for another.
Intensive job searches in the near future
Ramūnas is convinced that a proper life plan is already half the job. He reveals that he is currently looking for work intensively. “I am registered with the Employment Service, sometimes I receive job offers, I always go to the jobs offered. Unfortunately, the work is often too exhausting for me physically. Offered to work as a loader, carry boxes, move what is found in the sawmill. Long hours of work also cause difficulties for me, it is convenient for me to plan my work schedule according to my state of health ”, says the man. Trust that sooner or later your job search will be successful.
He says that he has changed drastically since he moved into a protected house: “For example, before I did not keep my belongings, I threw everything, even documents. Sometimes I joke that I’ve probably already ruined all of the truck assets. And now I have taken responsibility, all my things have their place. “
Another change is that they have learned not only to celebrate the holidays properly, but also to prepare for them. He says that before it did not make sense, he was lazy, and in recent years he decorated the house for both Christmas and Easter, and prepared a meal:
Asked if he would recommend this service that helped him to a friend or acquaintance who needed it, he did not hesitate to answer that he had already offered to try his new life opportunity.
Accommodation in protected accommodation
Within the framework of the project “From care to opportunities: development of community services”, curated by the Department of Disability Affairs, it is expected that 184 people will receive shelter in protected housing during the three years of the project (until 2023).
Sheltered housing is for partially self-employed persons with disabilities with disabilities who need minimal or preventive assistance. Up to 4 people with disabilities can live in this type of housing, needing the help of a social worker only in certain areas where they lack skills. These people can work, participate in other types of employment, they can live in a community.
