Finding the Right Fit

Shared living is more than just caregiving. It’s a customized service designed to address the unique personality and needs of the person who will receive services. An individual, a couple or a family share their lives with a person who has a disability in an authentic, loving and respectful relationship of mutual dependence.

Finding the right fit between a caregiver and a person with a disability is key to helping a shared living relationship succeed. There needs to be a mutuality of love and respect, with a person and caregiver on equal footing. Each has responsibilities, and both depend on each other for different needs.

Nonotuck has an extensive screening process to help match a caregiver to a person with a disability. When a shared living household is created, Nonotuck listens carefully to the person needing care, and also talks to their friends and their family members. We want to know all about the person, including their likes and dislikes, what they want their home to be like, and their personal goals. The person with a disability has a strong voice in deciding which caregiver they will live with.

Nonotuck’s placement specialists also screen potential caregivers extensively. Then, we help match caregivers to people with disabilities based on a variety of factors, including:

• Personality – Is the caregiver outgoing or quiet? Does the person with a disability have a great sense of humor?
• Interests – Does the person with a disability enjoy board games, crafts, or sports? Does the caregiver like to play music or take long walks?
• Culture – Do the caregiver and the person with a disability celebrate the same holidays? Do they speak the same language?
• Routine – Does the caregiver attend religious services regularly? Is the person with a disability a particularly early riser?

Once they’re matched, the caregiver and the person with a disability create a home life and a valued relationship. It can be a long-term commitment or an interim commitment, but finding a good match between a caregiver and the person with a disability can lead to long-lasting shared living arrangements. Some Nonotuck clients have been living with the same caregiver for decades!

You can learn more about shared living here. Learn about becoming a shared living provider here.