Northborough Community Advocate
By Lori Berkey, Contributing Writer
December 22, 2006
Northborough - Hilda Tarquini grew up in an institution and was then housed for years in a group residence. For the first 50 years of her life, she didn't know what it was like to live at home with a family. But five years ago, life changed dramatically for Tarquini. Northborough resident Maryse Carpin took Tarquini into her home to live as part of her family.
The arrangement is part of a shared living program orchestrated by Advocates Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides services to people with developmental disabilities and other challenges.
Tarquini has since been on numerous family vacations. She participates in typical family outings in the community and eats home-cooked meals at the family dinner table.
Advocates Inc. is presently looking for another Northborough family willing to provide shared living for a different individual in need. Families from surrounding towns are also being sought for the program.
Advocates Inc.'s shared living program is an option for people in Massachusetts with developmental disabilities (including those individuals who have additional physical challenges) to be paired with individuals or families who provide a safe home and caring environment.
The program is set up to be mutually beneficial for the individuals and the providers. Providers help the individuals become members of the household and community, and assist them with transportation to appointments and social activities.
While the providers do receive a stipend, some individuals matched with a shared living provider are eligible to receive outside personal-care assistance services, according to Art DuBois, Advocate's developmental disabilities division director.
According to Anita Monestime, program manager for shared living, many of the providers experience great satisfaction from their role.
"I love this program," she said, "not just because I work in it, but because I see the major impact it has on people, and it's all positive; not only for the individuals … It's a two-way street."
Carpin said she is very pleased to be a provider. Since she worked as a house manager at the group home where Tarquini used to reside, she knew Tarquini prior to their shared living arrangement. Carpin said some of Tarquini's old behavior difficulties have disappeared since she moved in to her family home.
"It's a good experience," Carpin said, "because I see how Hilda progressed and the way that she was before and the way the she is now, and I think it's a satisfaction for both of us. For me, I feel that Hilda is a part of my family. Everywhere I go, Hilda will go with me."
When Tarquini was asked what she thinks of the shared living arrangement, she smiled broadly and as summed up her feelings in one word.
"Good," she said.
Monestime considers Carpin and Tarquini's relationship to be among the many match success stories.
"She [Tarquini] now has an opportunity which she wouldn't have had in her previous residential situation," Monestime said. "She's been to Paris, to Martinique, everywhere, several times. And that is the wonderful thing … Now Hilda has learned so many more things and can do so many more things for herself, because of the one-on-one, because of being a part of a family that loves her and cares for her - and that's what we see with people that we have placed."
According to Monestime, Advocates Inc. works to form perfect matches between what an individual wants and needs and a loving family that can provide it.
According to Mieke Monen, Advocates Inc.'s administrative director, the organization matches individuals in need with providers of varied profiles.
"We're looking for very caring people," Monen said, "and it doesn't have to be a family. We have many providers. We have families with children. We have families with adult children. We have single people. We have two men who provide service for a man. We have two women who provide services and take a woman in."
For further details about Advocates Inc.'s shared living program, call Monen at (508) 653-8724, ext. 204, or Monestime at (508) 653-8724, ext. 227.