Supported Living for Adults with Cerebral Palsy: Beyond Group Homes
When families of adults with cerebral palsy look at housing options, the conversation often focuses on what their loved one cannot do. Can they transfer independently? Can they manage stairs? Can they cook safely? These are important questions, but they should not be the only ones. Equally important: What kind of life does this person want to live? What would help them thrive, not just stay safe?
For many adults with cerebral palsy, the answer is supported living -- and specifically, life-sharing. It is a model that starts with the person, not the facility.
Physical Accessibility in Life-Sharing
One of the first concerns families raise about any housing option for an adult with cerebral palsy is physical accessibility. This is a legitimate and important consideration, and it is one that life-sharing handles differently than a group home.
In a group home, you take what is available. The building was set up for multiple residents, and accessibility features are standardized. In a life-sharing arrangement, the housing is selected with the individual's specific needs in mind.
That means looking for apartments or homes with features that actually matter for your loved one:
Single-story layouts or elevator access for individuals who use wheelchairs or have mobility challenges
Accessible bathrooms with roll-in showers, grab bars, or other modifications
Wide doorways and open floor plans that accommodate mobility devices
Proximity to public transit for individuals who rely on buses, light rail, or paratransit services
Nearby community resources like grocery stores, parks, medical offices, and employment
Because the housing is chosen for the individual rather than the individual being placed into existing housing, there is far more flexibility to find a living situation that genuinely works.
How Homies Helps Find Accessible Housing
Finding the right accessible apartment or home is part of what the Homies team does. We work with individuals and their families to understand exactly what physical features are needed, and then we search for housing that meets those requirements in neighborhoods where the person wants to live.
This is a significant departure from the group home model, where the location is fixed and the individual adapts to it. In life-sharing, the home adapts to the individual. If your loved one needs to be near a specific transit line to get to work, we look for housing along that route. If they need a ground-floor unit with an accessible kitchen, that is what we find.
The goal is for the living situation to support your loved one's independence, not limit it.
Understanding SLS: Supported Living Services
Supported Living Services (SLS) is the funding and service model that makes life-sharing possible in California. It is one of several residential options available through the Regional Center system, and it differs from group home placement in fundamental ways.
SLS is person-centered. Services are designed around the individual's goals and needs, not around a facility's structure. The amount and type of support can range from a few hours per week to round-the-clock assistance, depending on what the person needs.
SLS supports community living. The individual lives in their own home or apartment in the community -- not in a licensed facility. They are a tenant or co-tenant with all the rights and choices that come with that status.
SLS is flexible. Support hours can be adjusted as needs change. If your loved one develops new skills and needs less help in certain areas, the plan can be updated. If their needs increase, more support can be added.
For adults with cerebral palsy, this flexibility is especially important. Physical needs can vary over time, and a support model that adapts with the person is far more sustainable than one that stays static.
For a detailed comparison of SLS and group homes, including when each option might be the better fit, see our guide on SLS vs group homes.
Flexibility of Support: Tailored to the Individual
One of the key advantages of supported living for adults with cerebral palsy is the ability to tailor support hours and tasks to the individual. Through SLS, individuals can receive anywhere from a few hours per week to well over 100 hours per month of direct support, depending on their assessed needs.
For an adult with cerebral palsy, that support might include:
Personal care assistance with bathing, dressing, and grooming
Meal preparation adapted to any dietary needs or physical limitations
Mobility support including transfers, wheelchair maintenance, and navigating the community
Transportation to work, medical appointments, social activities, and errands
Health management including medication reminders, stretching routines, and coordination with medical providers
Household tasks like cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping
The important thing is that these supports are wrapped around the person's existing abilities. A supportive roommate does not take over tasks the individual can manage -- they help with the ones that are genuinely challenging and work together on building new skills where possible.
Maintaining Community Connections
One of the most overlooked costs of group home living is social isolation. Group homes can become self-contained worlds where residents interact primarily with staff and other residents. Outings happen on a schedule, with a group, and within the facility's logistical constraints.
Life-sharing breaks that pattern. When your loved one lives in a regular apartment in a regular neighborhood, community is not something that has to be organized -- it happens naturally.
Employment. Many adults with cerebral palsy work in their communities. Living near their workplace, with a roommate who can help with morning routines and transportation, makes sustained employment far more practical.
Social life. A supportive roommate brings their own social network. Your loved one meets friends, attends gatherings, and becomes part of a broader community. This kind of organic social connection is difficult to replicate in a group setting.
Recreation and interests. Whether your loved one enjoys adaptive sports, art classes, movies, or just exploring their neighborhood, living in the community means these activities are accessible rather than requiring special arrangements.
Healthcare. Living near preferred medical providers, specialists, and therapy centers means fewer barriers to staying healthy and managing ongoing care needs.
What Families Should Know About Getting Started
If you are exploring supported living options for an adult family member with cerebral palsy, here is what to expect:
Talk to your Regional Center service coordinator. Request information about Supported Living Services and ask specifically about life-sharing. If you are unfamiliar with how Regional Center services work, our family guide to Regional Center services is a helpful starting point.
Contact Homies. We will walk you through how our matching process works, discuss your loved one's specific accessibility needs, and answer your questions honestly. Visit our how it works page for an overview.
Think about what matters most. Beyond the physical accessibility requirements, consider your loved one's personality, interests, social preferences, and daily routines. These are the factors that drive a successful match, and the more we understand about the whole person, the better the outcome.
Be patient with the process. Finding the right roommate and the right accessible housing takes time. We never rush a match, and we do not settle for a living situation that does not meet the individual's needs.
Life-sharing is not the right fit for everyone, and we will be honest about that. But for adults with cerebral palsy who want to live in the community with personalized, consistent support, it is an option worth exploring seriously.
Reach out to our team to start a conversation, or visit our page for Regional Center clients to learn more about the process.