A Good Place, For Now: Nancy's Story of Watching Josh Thrive — and Planning for What's Next
As told by Nancy Dawdy-Curley
Mother of Josh Curley · Brantford, Ontario
Josh Curley has always loved a job well done. Since kindergarten, when his principal arranged for him to have his own vacuum so he could help the school caretaker, Josh has found purpose in keeping things clean and tidy — today he works as a janitor and has a job shredding paper at Shredding Barriers, a social enterprise through Crossing All Bridges.
He's funny, sensitive, and deeply loving — the kind of person who shows up with a tissue the moment he sees someone's tears. For his mother, Nancy, now 63, the past two and a half years have brought something she once worried she might never see: Josh living happily outside her home, growing in independence every day.
But even with things going well, Nancy knows this chapter won't last forever — and she's already thinking about what comes next.
Tell us about Josh. Who is he?
Josh is a funny, sensitive, and loving individual. He loves his family, his friends, and food. He loves going to his jobs — he's a janitor at a small business and has loved cleaning, especially vacuuming, since he was in kindergarten. His principal got him his own vacuum so he could help the school caretaker, and he loved it. He also has a job shredding paper at Shredding Barriers, a social enterprise through Crossing All Bridges, and he loves going to his day program and seeing his friends there. He's very sensitive — if he sees tears, he's right there with a Kleenex. And he loves to eat!
What does your current housing situation look like?
Josh is living in a supported living situation. He lives with two friends with special needs, and they all live under the care of a very special person — his caregiver. She oversees their daily needs and encourages independence. The situation is great; she loves everyone under her roof and treats all who enter with respect and warmth. Right now, the situation is fabulous, and they've been together for two and a half years.
"The situation is great, the House Mother loves everyone under her roof and treats all who enter with respect and warmth."
What does a typical day look like, and how does your housing situation affect it?
Josh gets up in the morning and gets ready for his day with some prompts. His caregiver heads off to work at 7:30. He and one of his roommates (who needs more prompting) get on Brant Lift and head to Crossing All Bridges together most days. Josh is happy spending his days at CAB. He comes home on Brant Lift around 3:30, and his caregiver returns around 4:30 — together they get supper on the table, each having their own chores. He goes to some evening activities with his 269 family. Showers are in the evening, again with prompting. He's somewhat independent, but I'm not sure how he'd do without that prompting.
What have you tried when it comes to finding housing?
Although he's in a great place right now, I believe it isn't his forever situation. I continue to cover the bases and work on a backup plan — you never know what the future holds for anyone.
How would supportive housing improve Josh's life — and yours?
Josh has come leaps and bounds in his level of independence and maturity since he moved out of my home. His communication and social skills have also increased immensely.
What worries you most about the future?
I often wonder what it would look like when I'm gone. I do so much of his scheduling, appointments, and banking, and I wonder who is going to take that over, since he's unable to do these things himself.
"I often wonder how it would look when I am gone."
What do you wish more people understood about what families like yours go through?
I believe people are compassionate and usually empathetic to our family's individual limitations. We can't just get up and go — preparation is necessary in so many ways. If routines or plans change, our loved ones are easily thrown off. The processing in their minds isn't as fast, and they need time and understanding to get back on track with the change. Patience is a very important thing.
Is there anything else people need to hear?
Our journey isn't the one we had planned, but we are doing our best to make it a happy and fulfilling one.
