<p>There was a book and movie about the “Brooke Ellison Story” about a young woman who was injured in an accident and ended up in a wheelchair. She went to Harvard and graduated, through heroic and, I personally feel, misguided efforts on the part of her family. You can google it. Harvard gave her a suite that also housed her mom. Yes, her mom went to college with her! (Harvard renovated the suite so doors were wide enough and provided a van…)</p>
<p>That seemed to be the model that impressed most people, but all I could think of was, couldn’t the college provide enough assistance so the young woman could go to school without her mother?!</p>
<p>Anyway, sorry, that was a bit of a side note and hopefully a now dated situation.</p>
<p>I have a kid with health issues that do not affect mobility, but some of the issues with independence may be similar. She thought about going far away but ended up an hour away from home and still near her doctors. I think this has actually helped her (and me) achieve more independence in a more natural, organic way.</p>
<p>I also think it helps to compartmentalize. This takes skill on the part of the parents and the young person with the disability or condition. What I mean by that is that you can achieve maximum independence in all other areas while still having some dependence in the medical area, for instance. In fact, that continued dependence or , put more positively, that continued support, actually may enable more independence in those other areas, than if you moved far away- if that makes sense.</p>