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A couple enjoying their empty nest became parents again when they opened their home to support a 19-year-old with an intellectual disability.

Melda Ponton, 61, and her husband provided their home to support Cecily, 19, and her brother Dalennie, 16. Cecily has an intellectual disability, and together with Ponton they form the centrepiece for a new Thunder Bay Supportive Living Service community living campaign.

The two attended the announcement of the new initiative Tuesday, which aims to increase the number of homes and volunteers involved in the campaign.

Cecily requires assistance when she does most everyday activities. Ponton said Cecily tries to be as independent as possible but assists her whenever she needs the help.

"If we hadn’t taken them in it might have been much different," Ponton said. "Cecily tries to be as independent as she can. She has difficulty with buttons but can bathe with assistance; she can eat with assistance and things like that. She is quite independent."

Ponton first met Cecily when then teenager was only four years old. Throughout the years, the two worked on controlling Cecily’s emotions, which included her temper.

When Ponton reflects on how she raised her own children. She said she learned her lessons as a parent and tries not to make the same mistakes.

"Looking back now there are no regrets," she said. "My kids now are fully grown and they are on their own with families of their own."

Ken Pickard, executive director for Community Living Thunder Bay, said he hoped to try and have 20 to 25 more homes to volunteer to help those adults with intellectual disabilities.

Community Living Survives supports more than 400 adults who are trying to live an independent life. The amount of providers isn’t enough to give adults with disabilities the opportunity to have a normal life, he added.

"People with intellectual disabilities are no different than anyone else," Pickard said. "They want meaningful relationships and they want to be productive, they want to be able to get a job and they want to love somebody and be loved."

With the aging population of Thunder Bay, he said he hoped younger caregivers would volunteer their homes.