Finding Home: What Inclusive, Supportive Living Really Looks Like at Trudeau 

Home is more than an address. It is the place where you feel safe, known, and free to be yourself. It is where you make choices about your day, share meals with people you care about, and build the kind of ordinary, meaningful moments that add up to a good life. For adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, finding that kind of home, with the right level of support, can feel like an enormous challenge. At the Trudeau Center, it is exactly what we work to make possible. 

Two Models, One Commitment 

Trudeau’s residential services are built around a foundational belief that every person, regardless of ability, deserves to live with dignity, connection, and a genuine sense of belonging. To meet individuals where they are, Trudeau offers two distinct residential models: Group Living Residences and Shared Living arrangements. 

Group Living Residences are staffed around the clock by trained direct support professionals, ensuring that residents have consistent, reliable support whenever they need it. These homes are designed to feel like just that, homes, not facilities. Residents share common spaces with housemates, build routines together, and are supported in pursuing the activities and relationships that matter to them. 

Shared Living offers a different path, placing individuals in a home environment with a trained caregiver in a setting that mirrors the warmth and structure of family life. For those who thrive with more intimate, consistent connection, shared living can provide an especially strong foundation for wellbeing and growth. 

“No two people we support have the same needs, preferences, or vision for their life,” says Silvia Borges, Director of Adult Services, Trudeau Center. “Our residential programs exist to honor that. Whether someone is in a group home or a shared living arrangement, the goal is always the same: to create a place where they genuinely feel at home and empowered to live the life they want.” 

Choice at the Center 

What sets Trudeau’s approach apart is the commitment to self-determination. Residents are active participants in decisions about their daily lives, from how they spend their time to how their personal spaces are arranged. Homes are designed to be comfortable, personalized, and accommodating of each person’s sensory needs and preferences. That level of individual agency is not a bonus feature; it is central to the program’s philosophy. 

This extends into the community as well. Summer brings natural opportunities for community connection, whether through outdoor activities, local events, recreation programs, or simply spending more time outside. Trudeau supports residents in accessing and enjoying their communities throughout the year, with summer offering some of the richest possibilities for engagement and new experiences. 

“The measure of a good residential program is not just whether someone is safe and cared for,” says Charlotte Higham, VP of Adult Services, Trudeau Center. “It’s whether that person feels like they belong, whether they have friends, routines they look forward to, and a real stake in the life happening around them. That’s what we’re building every day.” 

Part of Something Larger 

Residential services at Trudeau don’t exist in isolation. They connect directly to a broader continuum of adult supports, including Employment Concepts, the Adult Day Program, Community Support Services, and recreational programming. This integration means that where someone lives can be the launching point for work, community participation, personal growth, and lasting relationships. 

For families navigating questions about residential options for an adult loved one, Trudeau is a trusted resource with more than 60 years of experience in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities at every stage of life. 

AI may have been used in the initial drafting and research of this article. The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, medical, therapeutic, or individualized service advice. Every person’s needs and circumstances are unique. For information about services specific to you or your loved one, please contact the Trudeau Center.