NEWS

Day Hab Provides a New Option for Adults

When the Day Habilitation program began the last week of August at Flat Rock Homes & Care Center, adults with mental retardation had a new option in their programs.

“For the last several years we have re-evaluated the total needs of our clients,” said Reverend Nancy S. Hull, president.  “With the addition of our school program last fall we added an option for our school-aged clients. And now with Day Habilitation we can continue to provide services to clients as they age.”

The Day Habilitation Program is part of Flat Rock Community Services, which provides supportive residential services to adults with mental retardation.  Community Services operates homes in Seneca, Sandusky, Erie and Lorain County.

The overall emphasis of the program is to continue to teach skills to let adults live independently.  This will include budgeting, cooking and socialization.

“This will not be a classroom program,” said Jason Grant, director of Community Services. “We know that the best way for our individuals to learn new skills is to go out and do things for themselves, with our staff offering assistance as needed.  These individuals will be at the store, purchasing groceries according to a list, managing the cash at the register and then bringing the items back to cook them. And in the end, cleaning up will be a part of it as well.

In addition to cooking and budgeting, program participants will be involved in gardening on campus, improving vocational skills such as organizing, sorting and assembly and even therapeutic recreation.

The recreation program will have two approaches: learning about inexpensive community recreation such as parks and participating in games and activities with rules. While this may seem like just fun, the emphasis on following the rules and dealing with the consequences is an important part in helping our adults “fit in” to a society that they often do not understand or that does not understand them.

Day Habilitation is Flat Rock’s first foray into non-residential care for adults. Historically, Community Service clients have relied on other organizations, typically governmental groups, to provide programs during the day.

“Because we have worked with adult clients so closely for more than a decade we have been able to see what works and does not work for these clients.” Grant said. “Conventional workshop programs are great for many of them.  But for those who needed a different option for whatever reason there was a gap in the services. We think this will be a great option for clients who need the structure and socialization of a day program but for whom the workshop is not a good match.” 
10/17/07