Jim Caffry ’88 had been asking himself the same question since his son, Duncan, was just a toddler: What will happen to him when I’m old and gone?
It’s not unusual for a parent to plan for their child’s future, but the stakes change when that child has developmental disabilities and requires daily care. Caffry’s son, now 26, was diagnosed with regressive onset autism when he was 20 months old. He also has obsessive compulsive disorder and epilepsy. Duncan is nonverbal and requires around-the-clock support, especially because he’s prone to seizures and behavioral challenges.
For decades Caffry, a special needs lawyer, didn’t have a good answer for what would happen with Duncan’s care as he aged out of special education services designed for children and young adults.
“Many people fall off the cliff after they turn 22 because there are so few long-term care solutions for adults who require 24/7 support,” he says.
In the Caffrys’ home state of Vermont, the primary housing model for adults with needs like Duncan’s is a shared-living system — essentially adult foster care. This arrangement can involve frequent moves between homes and a rotating cast of caregivers, which Caffry says can be particularly destabilizing for many adults with developmental disabilities who thrive on predictability and routine.
Caffry and his wife, Amy, decided their best option was to create their own long-term residential program for Duncan — and other individuals who share some of his needs. In 2022 the Caffrys teamed up with another family grappling with the same challenges to create The Riverflow Community.
With the help of grants and more than a million dollars from private donors, the group purchased and renovated an eight-bedroom house on 30 acres in Monkton, Vt. Duncan is one of four founding “friends” who live in the house with co-householders and support staff. The community opened in fall 2024.
“Part of the ethos of Riverflow is that we’re trying to erase the lines between caregivers and care recipients,” says Caffry. “It’s people with and without disabilities sharing a life.”
The Riverflow Community is inspired by the Camphill Movement, a global initiative that values mutual support, interdependent communities, and an inclusive model of direct care. Riverflow was designed to be a safe, loving, and stable home with ample opportunities for learning, relationship building, and self-expression. Everyone at Riverflow is matched with meaningful work tailored to their abilities so they can contribute to the community.
For Duncan, this work includes caring for animals, doing outdoor chores, building things, and creating art.
“He’s always been happiest when he’s around animals,” says Caffry, “and it makes a huge difference for his well-being when caring for animals is part of his daily life.”
At Riverflow, Duncan tends chickens and helps out at a nearby sheep farm. Riverflow residents also regularly visit farms and aquariums in the community. “He’s thriving because he has a routine that grounds him and [he] is able to engage in activities that are meaningful to him,” says Caffry.
After Riverflow opened its doors, it was immediately clear to Caffry and the other founders that there’s demand for this kind of community in the area — they had almost 100 applications for the four spots in the second home. To meet some of the demand, the leadership team hopes to expand Riverflow’s campus into four new homes, a community center, and a therapeutic farm. Fundraising is well underway, and construction on the second home is expected to begin this year.
It’s a full-circle moment for Caffry, who pivoted his law career from environmental law to special needs planning when Duncan was a child to help other families prepare for their children’s futures.
“I made the switch because I was struggling to find the information I needed as a parent,” he says. “I knew other families could benefit from the guidance.”
Today Caffry worries less about his son’s future now that he’s in a home that feels good for everyone in the Caffry family — especially Duncan.
“Duncan may not talk much, but he sure does communicate,” says Caffry. “You can see how at peace he is now that he’s found a home at Riverflow.”
