WILOH aims to provide housing for neurodivergent adults in the West Island

By Anita Szabadi-Gottesman

The need to find suitable housing in the West Island for neurodivergent adults is top of mind for chair Jacques Lapierre and his board of directors, who are spearheading the private, not-for-profit Maison WILOH (West Island Life Oasis Home). The initiative is also supported by a core group of 20 families.

Lapierre, father to his neurodiverse son Joel, 31, understands firsthand how important it is to plan for his future care and that of other special needs adults. He is clear in his vision for the completion of the WILOH project. “For my son Joel and his peers, establishing a permanent living situation will give them a step forward towards maximum independence.”

As stated in the informational pamphlet, the WILOH project aims to provide a viable alternative to families in search of a good home with an uplifting and rewarding life for their adult children 21 years and older with special needs. “As we age as parents, it is of the utmost importance to plan for the long-term care of our neurodivergent adult children when we can no longer care for them,” Lapierre pointed out. “While there are some facilities in the West Island, no new projects were being proposed.”

For close to two years, Lapierre and his team have been working to propose and launch this new housing initiative. “We are speaking to the mayors of several West Island communities, and we are close to finding a location,” he said.

WILOH’s awareness campaign is set to launch soon alongside fundraising initiatives. Catering to a wide spectrum of intellectual deficiencies and/or autism, the WILOH residence would be planned and partitioned to best ensure safety and security based on the different abilities and levels of independence.

To volunteer or learn more, consult the WIAIH (West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped) Residential Committee at wiaih.qc.ca. A WILOH website was being developed for launch in the fall.