Supported independent living.

Terri has lived at Camphill for 36 years, both on our rural property in Angus and in a couple of different houses near downtown Barrie. In the last few years Terri has moved from living with others in the residential setting to living on her own in Camphill’s Supported Independent Living program (SIL). Terri treasures her independence and finds that the SIL program better suits her lifestyle. The program is tailored to meet the needs of each individual with the supports aimed at enhancing people’s ability to live as independently as possible, which allows Terri to decide what sort of supports are most important to her.

For a few hours a day, SIL staff visit Terri to support her with things that she chooses. For Terri, that often means getting a little help with the technical side of her crochet and knitting business, Terri’s Curiosity Shop, and getting support with purchasing supplies. Terri explained, “I can go places myself. In SIL I can do my own shopping, but staff can help me if I need it, like going to Michaels or Walmart for yarn and stuff like that.”

Travel is also very important to Terri and SIL staff help her with planning trips. “I was able to go for bigger trips this summer – the metro Toronto Zoo and Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto. I was even able to go down to Toronto, to Christie Gardens, to see my mother. Now I can do that myself on public transport.” Terri is also planning future trips to Florida to see Disney World and spend days at the beach.

Above all, Terri values the day-to-day freedoms that the SIL program offers. Terri enjoys walking down to Barrie’s waterfront and on special occasions she goes to Swirleez Frozen yogurt bar to get the works! “I think it’s wonderful. The SIL program is really really wonderful. The staff are very nice, they help me. For people like me who are independent, SIL is the absolute positive system for them so they can have their own freedom the way I do.”