Old Farm Rockport

Welcome

Old Farm Rockport is the planned adaptive renovation of the Old Farm Inn at Halibut Point into two homes for adult survivors of brain injury. The project will include renovating the main house into a 4-bedroom universally (handicap) accessible home, and the adjacent barn into 4 universally accessible apartments.

A collaborative effort.
The property is being transformed in a collaborative effort lead by Old Farm Rockport, a non-profit organization formed by a group of North Shore families and friends of individuals who have been touched by the catastrophic effects of a brain injury. In addition to Old Farm Rockport, Supportive Living, Inc., a developer of supportive housing for brain injury, and Advocates, Inc., a provider of health care services for brain injury, will provide their unique abilities in this effort. These types of creative collaborations are required to provide the utmost in housing and care for this underserved population.

Who needs this type of housing?
Many survivors, including an increasing number of young men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain injuries, are being forced to live in inappropriate and unsupportive settings, including nursing homes, hospitals, and other post-acute care facilities. There are very few community-based residences in Massachusetts that provide appropriate care for brain injury survivors regardless of their ability to pay.   

Due to the catastrophic nature of many brain injuries, often long and expensive hospitalization and rehabilitation is needed. Once insurance coverage limits are met, the ongoing expense of rehabilitation can be a tremendous burden on an individual’s or the family’s finances – in many cases depleting all assets. In a majority of these cases the individual quickly reaches the very low-income level qualifying them for affordable housing and Medicaid.  
 

What is a brain injury?
In an instant an individual’s life can be altered forever after suffering a brain injury. The cause might be a head trauma, lack of oxygen, a stroke, a brain tumor, or a disease. A brain injury can result in a major change to the person’s life and the lives of their family. The injury can affect motor skills, senses, long-term and/or short-term memory and cognitive abilities – even emotions.

A brain injury can happen to anyone, at any time. Supportive Living, Inc. currently manages three residential programs for brain injury and the residents’ backgrounds are varied: a professor, a college student, business executives, a car mechanic, mothers, fathers, and children. A brain injury can happen to anyone, at any time.
 

What services are offered?
In addition to providing secure, comfortable, and affordable housing for brain injury survivors, Old Farm Rockport will ensure that each resident receives individualized treatment, personal care, cognitive and physical therapies specific to their health care needs.  

This professional care is provided by Advocates, Inc. a leading provider of health and human services in the Commonwealth. Many of the Advocates brain injury program management and staff have been involved with SLI for over fifteen years, developing a specialized capability for working with brain injury. The professional staff develops an Individual Service Plan (ISP) for each resident, outlining strengths and weaknesses that call for treatment and support. Case management and coordination with all members of the support team and family ensures implementation of the plan. These primary services include education and training in multiple areas based on an individual’s need including:
 

• Health management / Personal care
• Social / interpersonal skills
• Community integration
• Life skills training
• Nutrition
• Household assistance
• Nursing

When will the project be finished?
The Old Farm was purchased in March 2011. The Inn itself was leased back to the previous owners and will be managed as the Inn through the fall of 2011. Government grant applications will be submitted from the spring of 2011 through early 2012. Private fundraising will take place during the same time. The project goal is to complete financing by June 2012, and start renovations immediately thereafter with occupancy scheduled in early 2013.
 

For more information on Old Farm Rockport contact us.