Ridgeview Place, a journey in housing for Special Needs adults at Lake Chelan

Ridgeview Place is a home and a lifestyle for special needs adults coming to Lake Chelan very soon.  People with special needs need a home of their own where they can live independent, productive, and fulfilling lives.  The environment should be positive and fun while being secure and tending to the residents special needs. The lifestyle of Ridgeview Place is about having meaningful work, lifelong learning opportunities, and the ability to enjoy all the recreational activities of the Lake Chelan valley and beyond.

Philosophy:

We are parents of a 20 year old special needs son.  What we want for our son is for him to have a fulfilling life, surrounded with close friends and family in an environment where he is challenged and supported to achieve his own goals.

With that in mind, during the past couple of years we researched living arrangements for special needs adults in Central Washington and beyond.  As you might expect if you know other families with special needs members, the people we met have been extremely supportive and willing to share their advice, the challenges they face and what works well for them.

Financial sustainability of lifestyles for people with special needs is a big challenge.  We want our son to be secure and more than comfortable well after we may no longer be around to provide for him.  A goal at Ridgeview Place is for it, and the residents, to be financially sustainable completely on their own.  Fortunately, that is something we know how to put together.  We are creating an environment where he and a few other special folks can thrive with the minimal possible concern to changing priorities of government and without relying on others’ charity.

We are building a place where the residents become a team of friends, a family of sorts, with other close friends to share their life with.  Our motivation is simply to create the best lifestyle possible for our son.

Finally, we are creating the first home catering to special needs residents in what we believe is an ideal place, the Lake Chelan valley.

We see a big part of having a meaningful life is having a productive life with opportunities for work that society also rewards as productive.  We have already started a company that will employ the residents of Ridgeview Place in meaningful, productive, and fun work that will provide a substantial income.  The company will also be owned by the residents and the work environment can be tailored to their interests and needs.  There are productive activities for all skill levels of folks in a company that is designed to be able to provide fun, social, and meaningful work.

What and Where:

Residents at Ridgeview Place will own their home.  It is a single family home that will be shared by its co-owners.  The environment will include full-time care to assist the residents with their long-term needs while fostering their independence.  The Chelan valley will get to see this home develop, with a can do atmosphere, high-quality care, and a fulfilling lifestyle for all it touches.

Lake Chelan is the ideal location for Ridgeview Place.  An easy 15 to 20 minute stroll from downtown, the home is located in the City of Chelan.  Bus lines are also close by.  Chelan has its own amenities, including a friendly, small town environment where neighbors know and care for one another.  It encourages a healthy lifestyle with 300 days of sunshine and many outdoor recreation activities year round.

Additionally, Lake Chelan is beautiful.  North Central Washington is a recreational playground and a place of natural wonders. Chelan itself is one of Washington’s most desired vacation spots and highly desirable for retirees.  There is no better spot for the families of residents to gather and spend time together.

What is happening now:

We are in the process of enlisting an architect to design the home and obtain building permits.  Construction could begin this year.  Ridgeview Place could be ready to occupy in 2016.

On the vocational side, the company to be associated with Ridgeview Place began shipping products in late May of 2015 and should be producing profits in 2016.

What we are looking for:

We are seeking other families who have a special needs person in their lives that may want to reside at Ridgeview Place.  Now is the time for people to take a look what we are building, learn about the opportunity and investigate whether it is a fit for their family.

If you are interested in learning more about Ridgeview Place, contact either:

Al Lorenz  or Denise Lorenz.

We would love to talk to you and it will be worth your effort.