Innisfree: An amazing community for adults with disabilities

As you know, I have fantasized about the perfect community for Molly to live in now that she is a 21 year old adult. She too would like to move out from under our roof (just like your typical 21 year old wants). For us the challenge is finding a place where she will be safe, a place that will be around for the rest of her life, a place where she can live and work and have community with her peers.

We found that place in Virginia, 17 miles outside of Charlottesville. Not that we will have Molly move there as it's too far from us in Colorado. But at least it's a place to model their format and create a forever community in Colorado. And it's a good thing that we won't be submitting an application for Molly to live there as she was in "GO HOME" mode after our month long road trip. She wanted nothing to do with the two hour tour. She was crabby and walking 100 yards in front of us wherever we went like "let's get this show on the road slow walking people".  I'm sure they might have felt like she would not be a good addition to their community based on how she was acting. But we know better, don't we? She'd add A LOT of value and get the place cleaned up in no time. ;)

So here is a mini tour of what we saw of the beautiful Innisfree "A Life Sharing Community" www.innisfreevillage.org

Sign on the way in.

Sign on the way out.

Innisfree was founded in 1971 by a group of parents 40 years ago on 500 beautiful acres, nestled up against the Blue Ridge Mountains. There are 40 co-workers (adults with disabilities) who live there full time. There are an additional 35 full-time residential volunteers and support staff. I loved learning of the "volunteer" concept. It's like a Teach for America program in that you commit to one year of service to Innisfree. In return you get food, lodging, insurance and a small stipend. Many volunteers stay longer than one year. The volunteers live in the homes with the co-workers and are in charge of the various workstations and daily living.

I felt my body exhale as we drove onto the property. It's a slower pace as you see the community adults meandering from one building to another. Everyone stops to wave and see who you are. The day is broken up into 90 minute blocks where everyone participates in a workstation. Then they switch to another workstation, then they all have lunch together. The afternoon has one more workstation and evenings entail preparing dinner, enjoying hobbies or catching up on the news. No one watches TV for prolonged hours. I loved how organized it appeared and that a solid structure and schedule is created and followed. Molly would thrive with that. So would I.

We had a tour of the various workstations: weaving, woodworking, the bakery, the farm (eggs, wool)...cows were out to pasture,  the dining hall, the art room, the flower garden and one house.  Molly was in a rush so our sweet tour guide cut it short so that we could get on the road to head back to Colorado.

Everyone there seemed so pleasant and happy which had me asking if they screen out folks with major behavior problems. They do. There also is a spectrum of disability as many were very verbal and others are non verbal like Molly. There is no one with high medical needs either. I noticed that in the various workstations many were working, but if an individual wanted to sit and watch, they could do that too. There isn't pressure to perform.

PS Sorry about the format of the pictures. They are all willy nilly as I still can't figure out how to post them on this blog site!

This guy was SO friendly and explained how he was making placemats.

Another co-worker working on a loom.

Some co-workers work fast, others are very slow. There is no time constriction or quotas they must meet.

Look at how intricate this pattern is!

They sell products at farmers markets, etc.

Beautiful placemats. I was so impressed!

Chenille scarves

Then we went to the bakery where they were making these two types of bread for the day.

Beautiful wood working projects.

He was SO friendly and proud of what they do. He created the salad tossing spoons on his own. Cut out of Virginia too.

The volunteer that was helping the co-workers in the wood working station is building a tiny house on his own time that was just outside. I love that the volunteers can cultivate themselves too!

Free range eggs feed the community AND make $

Wool from the sheep

Baby chicks 

The dining room where everyone gathers for lunch.

One workstation is setting up the lunch room and preparing the meal. They eat the vegetables they grow and the eggs that are hatched. It's a very healthy diet at Innisfree and exercise is also part of their daily routine. I didn't see any overweight people which is quite unusual in the adult with disabilities community. Our tour guide said that even the picky eaters finally start eating the vegetables :)

Silkscreening (is that what it's called?)

Aprons

Dried flowers for Herbal teas

Flower garden

Drying

Herbal teas

Living room of one of the homes. All the homes are very nice with as many as 5 co-workers and one volunteer living in them. Dinners are served in small groups in the homes at night. Homes are co-ed too which I found a bit startling...but I must just be a fuddy duddy!

I love the intention of the community to create a space where the co-workers are valued and can contribute to their own wellness and happiness. They aren't pushed to do more than they can but are encouraged to try a variety of workstations. They are out in the community for Special Olympic sporting events, Farmer's Markets, community outings, etc.  They have their own rooms that they can decorate how they like and create their own space. I didn't take a picture of the room we were shown as I felt that might be intrusive, but I adored how the lady had 5 deodorants all lined up nicely. Think that she might be on the spectrum? :) The co-workers range in age from 21 to 90 years old. It is private pay and families must provide a financial portfolio to show that funding will be able to cover care after the parents are gone. Innisfree tried to make sure that once an adult is living there, they never have to leave (unless health issues in old age warrant it) so fundraising is always happening.



I will keep this beautiful Lifesharing Community in the forefront of my mind as we try to create a forever home for Molly! In the meantime, all it takes is $ and others with a shared passion. Who wants to join me in creating this special place in Colorado?