5 Strategies to Achieve Self-Sufficiency
As many of you know, I've been deeply engaged in The UPLifting Guidebook Project to help guide parents and caregivers in the pursuit of...
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Welcome to
BEYOND DOWN SYNDROME
Home of
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE
for FAMILIES with
DOWN SYNDROME
Plans and Actions for Independence at Every Stage of Life
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Steve Friedman
- Oct 7, 2022
- 4 min
The Who, What, When, Where, and How of Independence for our Loved Ones with DS
Independence. It sounds so freeing, so autonomous, and so empowering! Yet when we consider independence in terms of our loved ones with...
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Steve Friedman
- Sep 11, 2022
- 7 min
Inclusion: Lifelong Choices Each Family Should Consider
To be honest, "inclusion" was always a sensitive word for us. Sure, as new parents of a beautiful daughter with Down syndrome, we had...
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Steve Friedman
- Jul 20, 2022
- 7 min
Empowering the wUNDERDOG!
Underdog (n): a loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest; a victim of injustice or persecution I read this definition and the...
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Steve Friedman
- Jun 1, 2022
- 6 min
5 Most Common Health Risks for Adults with Down Syndrome
The prevalence of these conditions within our community will shock you and become urgent calls to action! In addition to the various...
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Steve Friedman
- Apr 19, 2022
- 6 min
The Rough Edges of Independence
10 Pitfalls to Prepare for in Advance We may plan for years for independence for our adults with Down syndrome by providing...
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Steve Friedman
- Feb 14, 2022
- 6 min
Red Flags to Watch Out for During your Residential Living Community Search
How to Identify Them Before It's Too Late Congratulations! You've prepared your family for the big move for your adult son/daughter with...
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Steve Friedman
- Dec 13, 2021
- 3 min
Independence Resources for Adults with Down Syndrome
It's never too early...or too late...to plan Through the Beyond Down Syndrome blogs over the last 18 months, we've covered a wide variety...
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Steve Friedman
- Nov 21, 2021
- 8 min
DS Independence: Finding the Right Place
The 5-Step Process to Guide You In the last couple of blogs, I've described our daughter's move out of the house and into an independent...
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Steve Friedman
- Oct 24, 2021
- 5 min
Move Out: Triumph or Tragedy?
After 6 weeks apart, it's time to assess Last month was the culmination of years of effort by Gwendolyn and our family. After years of...
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Steve Friedman
- Sep 12, 2021
- 4 min
Gwendolyn Moves Out
How it feels when it really happens... For Gwendolyn and our family we believe, as with her siblings, she can have it all. Each would...
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Steve Friedman
- Jul 4, 2021
- 4 min
Don't Listen to the Naysayers - Help is Coming
Person-Centered Planning and an Independence Guidebook help lead the way Discard the Naysayers From the moment we discover we had a baby...
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Steve Friedman
- May 23, 2021
- 4 min
Overcoming Down Syndrome Plateaus
What to do when your adult with Down syndrome feels sluggish We all plateau at times. We get kinda sluggish, stuck in a rut, losing some...
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Steve Friedman
- Apr 25, 2021
- 4 min
5 Things Parents of Adults with DS Worry About
...and what we can do about them now! Including Cooking with Gwendolyn: French Toast + Sausage...Yum. Being a parent of a child with...
3570
Steve Friedman
- Jan 22, 2021
- 6 min
This Just Can't Wait - Resources Due You
Too many people are unaware of all the financial resources available Every time I talk to parents (or guardians) at my daughter's school...
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Steve Friedman
- Dec 19, 2020
- 5 min
The Ten Considerations of Independent Living
Beginning to understand options and the two hard truths Last month we established a broad definition of independence for adults with Down...
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Steve Friedman
- Nov 15, 2020
- 4 min
What Does Independence Mean To You?
Planning Futures with our Adults with Down syndrome Earlier this year, I shared how our kids' dreams should be ours. This website is...
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Steve Friedman
- Oct 11, 2020
- 4 min
What Goes on in Their Head?
Adults with Down syndrome often drop subtle clues to their thoughts & dreams #Downsyndrome #Habits #UPLiftingGuidebookProject...
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Steve Friedman
- Aug 14, 2020
- 2 min
How is Your Adult with DS Handling COVID?
In Search of Independence for Adults with Down syndrome #COVID19 #Downsyndrome #Independence #UPLiftingGuidebookProject...
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Steve Friedman
- Jul 6, 2020
- 5 min
Their Dream Should be Our Dream
In Search of Independence for Adults with Down syndrome We all want our independence. It's a natural human drive. A recent study showed...
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