Emmaus Home Services

Philosophy of Care

Emmaus Home provides a service of care and support for our community members with intellectual disabilities. We are committed to ensuring the greatest quality of life that enables each one to achieve their full potential. We work in partnership with the relevant authorities to ensure that our practices are compliant with the highest national standards.

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We believe that, in common with other people, those with intellectual disabilities should have many different contexts for living to choose from. Emmaus Home provides another choice for people with intellectual disabilities. Our values include mutual rights and responsibilities between people of all abilities sharing their lives in community together.

Community

We share life together in community at Emmaus Home. By community, we mean a group of people of different ages, creeds, capacities and social and ethnic backgrounds connected to one another through a belief that everyone, irrespective of their circumstances, is unique, precious and important in the world. Our people, with and without intellectual disabilities, choose to share life together in a spirit of friendship. For all of us, community is a place of growth.

Reciprocal / Supportive Relationships

Mutual relationships are at the heart of our life together. We are not simply givers or receivers of care, rather each of us gives and receives and has the potential to grow through this subtle process. We are more than a service-provider. Our communities provide friendship, love, support and the opportunity for mutuality: basic needs of every human being. We see each person as a whole human being, rather than just a consumer and recipient of service.

Spiritual Life

We have a tradition founded on Christian values and principles. Within each of our homes and in each of our communities, time is set aside for individual and communal prayer. Ties to local parishes and churches are maintained and everyone is encouraged and supported to pursue an active spiritual life. We welcome people of any or no religious beliefs. We simply ask that those who come respect what they find.

Home Life In Emmaus Home

We create home together. This means living, celebrating, caring for one another, building our home environment through daily life: shopping, cleaning, and cooking. We share our lives in all their ups and downs. We care for one another. Some of us need physical care, while others need different sorts of care. None of this just happens. Like any home, living in Emmaus Home can be joyful and life-giving. Equally, it can be difficult and exhausting. The relationships between all of us are based on friendship and respect, rather than ‘care-givers’ and ‘care-receivers’. Activities such as personal care, bathing, personal hygiene, shopping and traveling may all require the supportive presence of another. But core members (people with intellectual disabilities) and Team Members do these things together and as part of normal daily life. 

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We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions together. Through gatherings in our individual communities and between other Emmaus Homes, friendships develop, adding richness to our lives. We are also very much part of our local neighborhoods. Friends and neighbors are welcome to drop in for a coffee and a chat and also join us for bigger Emmaus Home events.

Life Outside of the Home

A social network and involvement in the larger local community is an important aspect of life for everyone. Here at Emmaus Home, we encourage our members to become engaged in activities outside of their home. These may include involvement in volunteering. If able, some members may hold paid positions at local businesses.