The Armstrong Family

Transition planning for a family relocating to Richmond, Virginia with thier 25 year old son who has autism.

The Armstrong family is moving from Dallas, Texas to Richmond, Virginia! Their 25 year old son has autism and lives with them. Mom Regina has been caring for Chase as options were limited in Texas, and they had found a community of like-minded folks to do activities with. With no family in Richmond or the surrounding area, the Armstrongs knew they needed help connecting to resources and creating a space for their son to live, so they reached out to Your Home Haven. At the top of the list was a home designed to avoid their son’s known triggers and behavior issues, especially sound and light sensitivity, and to have a behavior plan in place during his transition. Regina told Your Home Haven that after caregiving for 25 years, she also wanted a space that was not only functional but beautiful and peaceful - a refuge in a life that often felt stormy. 

The family had lots of questions, including housing areas, local services,

loan options and home design creation. By working with Your Home Haven: a Disability Friendly Network, the family was able to connect with other families living in the area to discuss available services, finance their dream home, plug into services immediately, and transition to their home beautifully. They were happy to have a transition plan that addressed their son’s extreme anxiety and they felt that the transition was one of the more positive ones that Adam had experienced. And Regina was thrilled to share that she was able to take a regular bubble bath, while Adam swung on his sensory swing in his bedroom! The house intercom and video system allowed them to stay connected and safe, while Mom was able to relax. Regina shared that being able to find all services in one place, with a team that truly understood her family’s needs and desires, gave her peace of mind to make a transition that she had been dreading.