Independent Living is participating in day-to-day life, living where you choose and making decisions that lead to self-determination.

Most Americans take for granted opportunities they have regarding living arrangements, employment situations, means of transportation, social and recreational activities and other aspects of everyday life.

For many Americans with disabilities however, barriers in their communities take away or severely limit their choices. These barriers may be obvious, such as lack of ramp entrances for people who use wheelchairs, lack of interpreters or captioning for people with hearing impairments or lack of Braille for people who have visual impairments.

Millions of people all over America who experience disabilities have established lives of independence. They fulfill many different roles in their communities, from employers and employees, to marriage partners, parents, students, athletes, politicians, taxpayers – the list is unlimited.

What is Independent Living? Essentially, it is living just like everyone else. Having the opportunities to make decisions that affect one’s life, being able to pursue activities of one’s own choosing and being limited only in the same ways that one’s non-disabled neighbors are.