Real Life Experiences

By Sherri Boelter

This is Gary Pay.

He contacted DAC NW in December of 2020. His volatile living situation was becoming too much for him so he reached out for help. The police were dispatched to his residence and it was determined that Mr. Pay needed to be taken to the hospital.

While in the hospital, I worked with Mr. Pay, offering peer support and help creating an Independent Living plan upon his release. We knew he could not return to his previous living situation, which left him a choice of the men’s shelter or the street. This was at the height of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and because he had a compromised immune system, he decided a move to a hotel in the interim was healthier.

He received a couple more diagnoses during this time along with a siezure disorder. These were new to him and he wasn’t sure what the next step would be. We had several more conversations about what his future would look like. At one point he made the decision to apply and move into an assisted living facility. We directed him to fill out the A & D Waiver. While waiting for this, Mr. Pay advocated for himself to get the mental and physical care he needed.

Then, a few days before it was time to leave the motel, he shared that he had been thinking about living on his own, independently. We discussed the pros and cons. The PROS won! Mr. Pay applied for a room and was approved in September. He moved into his own place. He is living on his own and shared recently how very happy he is being independent. He also shared that when Covid cases go down, he would like to become a peer volunteer in our office.

Share your real life experience with Independent Living!