In transition

Residents with physical and mental disabilities needed a one-stop shop for information on how to live independently within the community, said a George Jeffrey Children’s Centre spokeswoman.

The George Jeffrey Children’s Centre held its first information fair Wednesday, showcasing 22 agencies with services that help adults and children with physical and mental disabilities live on their own.

The event’s co-ordinator Amanda Hoirch said the fair was a chance for the various agencies to meet and share their information with the children’s centre and public. Some of the agencies, such as the Thunder Bay Family Network, were relatively unknown until they participated at the fair, she said.

"Having all the information in one place is excellent," Hoirch said. "Nothing is really out in the open. So to have it all in one place and kind of see what is available is really good. There is a lot that (people) don’t know exists so it’s great to have it here."

With the first fair a seeming success, Hoirch said she wanted feedback from participants and agencies before planning next year’s event.

And the event wasn't just beneficial for clients at George Jeffrey Children's Centre.

Shawneen Bailey, a 33-year-old physiotherapist with the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre, said even she was surprised that she hadn't heard of some of the services that were being offered in the community.

Bailey works with disabled teenagers and helps them establish goals, such as living more independently after school. Bailey said she worked with one client who needed help to achieve his goal of opening doors on his own.

But for her clients to live more independently they need information, which is something that the fair readily provides, she said.

"It’s very important to have one location with all the information," Bailey said. "My colleagues and I weren’t exactly sure of all the services that are available for our clients. This is a good opportunity even for us to learn what the other agencies in Thunder Bay offer."

Some services that were once available for her clients when they were younger may not be there when they reach a certain age. The fair is a good place for her clients to learn what they need to do to remain independent when they get older, she said.