Quality of life is everything. It can be what drives us, and ultimately what defines us. Many people, however, don’t have the means to develop and maintain the quality of life that they want and deserve- not on their own, anyways. Many individuals and families face daily struggles that can block their access to happier and healthier lives. That is where nonprofits and charities that focus on enrichment come into the picture.

Gateways Community Services has been developing and offering their life-changing programs since 1981. Their innovative services have become the standard in New Hampshire’s approach to the needs of so many of its most vulnerable. They offer multiple programs developed for the sole purpose of making sure that children and adults with developmental and physical impairments, as well as the elderly, reach their goals and daily needs.

The Autism Center at Gateways is built around the foundation of the Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA. Using the principles within the ABA, Gateways provides services for individuals diagnosed as being on the Autism spectrum and their families, focusing on providing the means to develop social mechanisms, skills training, independence and autonomy. Services are administered at the center, home, within the community and schools. Thanks to the Autism Center at Gateways, children and adults living with Autism and disabilities that impact behavior are able to lead fuller, more independent lives.

Gateways provides an Adult Day Center service that makes available a safe and stimulating space for the elderly and adults with disabilities.

The Center not only benefits the individuals, but their families and caregivers. Whether there’s a need for a weekly respite to run errands, a daily obligation to work or go to class, or simply a desire for everyone in the household to expand on their routines, the Adult Day Center provides the means to gain flexibility and enrichment. For 20 years, Gateways has partnered with Alvirne High School, in Hudson, NH to house and even staff the Center. With the supervision of Gateways employees and volunteers, clients are paired with students, engaging in activities that promote mental stimulation and mobility.

If a community is like a tree, perhaps the children are like the roots. Their health and wellbeing are paramount to the wellbeing of the whole region, and Child Services are essential to ensuring that as many families as possible receive the help that they need. Early Support and Services, or ESS, is a program that meets the needs of children from birth to the age of 3 with therapies based on physical, occupational, speech and developmental needs, as well as parent coaching. Through detailed evaluation and communication, children and their families in need of ESS are able to flourish.

The Family Support service at Gateways works with individuals who are aged 3 to 21 who experience developmental needs and live with one or more family members. This service provides support to ensure that individuals are able to learn skills and transition more easily into adult life. Those with more intensive needs are also able to receive the support that they need in order to stay in their family home. Again, the family members benefit from this service as much as the client does. With support from educational meetings, guidance to community resources, as well as the ability to voice concerns and needs through the Family Support Council, entire families can experience the wealth of opportunities that exist through the Family Support service provided by Gateways.

Every person who lives with developmental disabilities has different needs that require different approaches. Through Participant Directed Managed Services, Gateways provides clients who are able to manage their own needs responsibly with the ability to do so. Individuals are able to develop and maintain lives of independence through participation in this home and community-based service. The team at Gateways provides support by helping their clients determine what specific services they can benefit most from, and how to best utilize their Medicaid funds.

Service Coordination is paramount to the system that supports individuals with specific needs. Clients at Gateways who live with disabilities due to developmental handicaps and brain-acquired injuries rely heavily on this service. Successful case management depends on support, advocacy, and the means to ensure continuity of care. The Service Coordination program at Gateways specializes in mental health support, forensic and risk management, independent living, cultural diversity, American Sign Language, brain injury support and the transition from school to adult life.

Every adult with a developmental disability and senior citizen who is able to live independently deserves the opportunity to do so. Gateways prioritizes independence and autonomy for these clients. Their Choices for Independence (CFI) program provides a wide array of services to adults aged 18 and over. Using a person-centered approach, Gateways helps adults reach and maintain their independence in their homes and within their community.

Seniors are the bedrock of every community. They have lived through sorrows and experienced some of the best joys in life. They have raised their children, are in the lives of their grandchildren, and have watched the world change and grow around them. Their quality of life is just as important as it was when they were young, and independence, wherever it can be found, is vital to their wellbeing. Gateways’ Services For Seniors is a program that provides our seniors with opportunities to remain active in their communities and independent at home. Through the implementation of comprehensive home care, which focuses on personal care, and with the help of home health aides (LNA’s) and nursing services (RN’s), Gateways helps individuals and their families to ensure that these seniors can stay safe and cared for in their own homes. They also provide assistance with meal preparation, housekeeping, transportation, health monitoring and medication management.

Every single person in a community is a piece of the puzzle. Depending on your perspective, you may not see the whole picture- but rest assured, it is there, and it is bigger than any one of us. If one puzzle piece- one person- is lost, we are not whole. Gateways Community Services works tirelessly to ensure that fewer are left to their chances without the help that they, their families and their caregivers need and deserve.

To find out more about Gateways Community Services, and to volunteer and donate, visit https://www.gatewayscs.org/.