Our Goals
Safe, Supportive, Quality Housing
The need is great for safe, supportive, quality housing. Those with mental illness deserve to have attractive homes in good condition as much as anyone does and that can make a significant difference in the quality of life and having an attitude of hope. Supportive housing provides the help with medical and personal needs that enable an individual to be in the community instead of an institution.
Support with Daily Living Needs
Daily life has many tasks that a person with mental illness may need help with. Remembering an appointment and arranging transportation, preparing a meal, keeping surroundings clean and in good condition, knowing what the community standard is for personal grooming and managing medication may not be accomplished without help.
Supportive and Caring Environment
Every human being has the need to be cared about. We need someone who will step up to help when we need it. We want to be valued for who we are as an individual. At Oasis, our residents are like extended family. We care about them and do our best to help them in every way possible.
Family-style Environment
Oasis homes are in the neighborhood and look like any other home. They are well maintained and attractive. We are good neighbors and help around the area. We focus on each person individually, not as a group. A simple example is the celebration of each person’s birthday separately, not as a general monthly routine. Picking out what kind of cake is wanted, what they want to have for dinner, getting a birthday card and being sung to is important to them. We celebrate all holidays with decorations and special meals.
The first Christmas we were open, we found that several of our residents had never had a Christmas tree in their house before. We decorate together so everyone who wants to can be a part of it. They have Christmas stockings and a gift.
Working on a Better Future Now
If our society doesn’t start taking care of our mentally ill now, when will we? Mental illness is a horrible disease. No one chooses it. Some can be well-managed with the right medications and people can have a job and a family—a life much like others. Each person, each manifestation of a mental illness, will have different needs. For many, getting medical help is sufficient, for some, medical help and minor support services will allow them to be independent. Others may need more significant support and may never be able to be completely independent, but they don’t need to be in an institution.
It is more humane and definitely more cost effective to provide adequate housing and services in the community. All of us can be a part of accomplishing that. Let’s help provide more housing and fund staffing for support services.