Intellectual Developmental Disability

The accepting and caring atmosphere that radiates throughout Byron Wellness Community creates a special place for those with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability (IDD) to feel at home.

Two women laughing and talking with each other at a table, with cups of coffee in front of them. One woman is holding a microphone. The background shows a blurred cafe or restaurant setting.

Currently, 16.1% of Byron Wellness Community family members have IDD. Our staff is committed to add every-day experiences to expand on life understandings and opportunities.

An elderly man in a wheelchair and an elderly woman sitting at a table with balloons, food, and drinks in a well-lit common area of a nursing home or assisted living facility.

Many of our residents who experience IDD have lived with us for decades and a handful came to us from the State Developmental Center in Fort Wayne after its closure. We work closely with the Indiana Bureau of Developmental Disability Services to ensure that our residents are in the most appropriate setting for their care needs. If the resident wishes to re-enter the community via a group home or otherwise, we prepare them for that transition through physical, occupational and speech therapy, as well as ensuring they are able to perform basic life skills, such as grocery shopping and attending necessary physician appointments. In addition, our Resident Engagement Team works to ensure the needs of our IDD residents are met.

Real-life work experience in our Kay's Café encourage occupational responsibilities with purpose. Giving back is also urged through regular volunteer opportunities including the SPCA and the Community Food Bank.

Regular weekly visits to the Carriage House are also available to our family members. Their “Club House Model” encourages recovery and reintegration through meaningful activities. These are just a few of the many ways we respect each family member with IDD as an individual with distinctive needs as “meet them where they are” along their journey.

For residents that reside in our community for the better part of their adult life, many will outlive their parents. Their siblings are often times involved to assist in make decisions for their care. Our Advanced Care Planning team, consisting of Resident Engagement Specialists, Director of Nursing, Clinic Nurse and Executive Director assist families in making everyday care decisions as well as tough decisions at the end of life.

  • The ARC of Indiana: established in 1956 by parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who joined together to build a better and more accepting world for their children.

    Indiana Family and Social Services Administration: provides services for individuals with developmental disabilities that enable them to live as independently as possible in their communities. BDDS assists individuals in receiving community supports and residential services using a person-centered plan to help determine which services are needed and who can best provide them. BDDS also monitors the quality of care and the facilities of those who are approved to provide these services in Indiana.

    Easter Seals Arc of Northeast Indiana: provides the highest quality of services and resources for children and adults with a wide range of disabilities.

    Turnstone: offering a variety of adaptive sports and recreation programs for children and adults age 5 and up who have an intellectual or developmental disability.

Two women laughing and hugging outdoors, one is kneeling with hands on knees, the other standing behind her, both wearing blue t-shirts with the Byron Wellness Community logo and text.
Three adults standing together in front of large silver balloons shaped as the number 20, celebrating an event or milestone.
A woman with gray hair, glasses, and a gray T-shirt sitting at a wooden table, creating a heart shape with red string on white paper, with watercolor paints nearby in a dining area.
Four people sitting at a table inside a Dairy Queen restaurant. A woman in a blue shirt and glasses is smiling at the camera, while a man in a navy shirt with a yellow measuring tape around his neck looks surprised. The person in front of them has gray hair and glasses and is smiling. On the table are two Dairy Queen cups, a napkin, and a drink with a straw. Outside the window, trees, houses, and power lines are visible.
An elderly man with glasses and a beard wearing a colorful T-shirt is sitting at a table in a restaurant or cafe, painting or creating art on a pink piece of paper with black paint. There is a watercolor set on the table, and a glass of water is visible at the edge of the image. The background shows a counter with coffee machines, a TV mounted on the wall, and restaurant furniture.