This checklist is intended to support the health of adults with Down syndrome directly or through their caregivers. We encourage this checklist to be shared with your medical professionals. Statements in blue represent recommended, periodic health screenings/assessments that should begin at a specific age.
This guide is intended to provide tools and advice to self-advocates who are interested in becoming more involved in legislative advocacy to work on policies and laws.
NDSS resource for families, professionals, direct caregivers or anyone concerned with the general welfare of an adult with Down syndrome.
Alzheimer’s Tennessee, Inc. provides family support, offers community and professional education, advocates for the needs and rights of those with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as research for its prevention, cure, and treatment.
BSS can provide information and updates on applications, appeals, and other issues related to CHOICES or ECF CHOICES. They can also assist with facilitating communication with TennCare or with MCOs in conflicts or other cases of dissatisfaction. These services are provided at no cost.
The Tennessee Center for Decision-Making Support is a virtual resource center that provides decision-making information, resources, and tools to assist individuals with disabilities, their families and support providers when planning for their future.
The Conservatorship Association of Tennessee is a non-profit organization of people who are concerned about the quality of services for adults who may need assistance in decision-making. Membership is open to individuals interested in improving the lives of Tennesseans who may need conservatorship and other protective services. CAT promotes a nationally recognized standard of excellence in conservatorship and guardianship through networking, continuing education, training, and other programs and services. CAT is an affiliate of the National Guardianship Association.
Document outlining Alzheimer's disease, it's connection to Down syndrome, clinical features, diagnosis, assessments, treatment and supportive care from the Alzheimer's Association.
Dr. Brian Skotko created a new online course for caregivers who are looking to improve the brain health of their loved ones with Down syndrome. He is calling the course the Down Syndrome Brain Train and it gives practical ways to boost the brain health of people with Down syndrome.
DSC2U as a way for families to get up-to-date, personalized health and wellness information for their loved one with Down syndrome. Caregivers will be asked to identify current symptoms along with any past medical or behavioral diagnoses and any recent blood work or diagnostic testing. The responses will be analyzed by a computer, based on state-of-the-art guidelines designed by national Down syndrome experts. The caregiver will instantly receive two personalized documents: one for themselves and one to share with their primary healthcare provider. These documents contain customized suggestions that are designed to help their loved one get healthcare tailored to their own specific needs.
Created to help improve conversations and planning and enhance supports to individuals with I/DD and their families. The Charting the LifeCourse framework was developed by families to help individuals with disabilities and families at any age or stage of life develop a vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live.
MAPs is a program that will set people with intellectual and developmental disabilities on a path to learn skills to help them work, live independently, learn about their neighborhoods, and find hobbies that interest them. This program is available to anyone with an I/DD diagnosis who has graduated high school or will graduate within three years.
Access On Demand provides a premium, same-day scheduling option and single-user trip service, all with the ability to give the rider more power over their transportation options.
Supported Decision Making is about helping people with disabilities make as many decisions about their own lives as possible. Conservatorship allows someone else to make decisions for you. Right now, many Tennesseans do not know there are other options for help in making decisions. The Council is working to educate Tennesseans with disabilities, their families and professionals who support them about less restrictive alternatives like supported decision making.
TN Center for Decision-Making Support is a shared effort of The Arc Tennessee, the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Disability Rights Tennessee, and is one place to learn about decision-making options for people with disabilities. It has easy-to-understand, accurate information about supported decision-making, power-of-attorney, conservatorship, special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and more
The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability helps adults who are aging see that they are not alone.
Trousdale School serves adults with intellectual disabilities, providing academics and life skills for the purpose of learning independence. The vision is “Learning for Life.” and they strive to be an authentic community in which students are empowered to continue learning across all dimensions of their lives, both inside and outside the classroom. Trousdale School emphasizes real-world situations and application of knowledge and skills, our educational approach can be termed “life-wide” learning. All students are age 22 or older.
Waves empowers individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to progress toward their full potential by providing early learning programming, adult day services, adult residential programs, and employment services. Through the core values of respect, integrity, and compassion.