SUPPORT INNOVATIONS

Every year parents and guardians attend an annual meeting to discuss their relative’s experiences from the past year. They run through everyday routines while the case manager, and support team, write down the needs, supports, and personality of the customer. All this information is secured in their Individualized Support Plan. 

Once the parent or guardian is finished, they usually take a moment and say something along the lines of “Wow, that’s a lot more information than I thought, I keep forgetting how much goes into our day!”. 

Continually going through the motions year after year places  families in a state of normalcy. They begin to feel as though what they do on a daily basis is what should, and will always, be expected of them. That is not necessarily the case. There are resources that benefit families. Resources that only case managers would know about. 

One way to discover these resources is to develop open communication with your case manager. Case managers can only give out their help when they know there is a need. Case managers are amazing at what they do. However, they can not be expected to read minds.

Many parents and guardians fly through their meeting at first, and miss out on these resources. When this happens at Support Innovations, the support team asks them to slow down and walk through their day, hour by hour. The team asks, 

“What would this person’s day look like with you in it, and then what would it look like if you took yourself out of the equation.” 

This process usually helps filter out the true needs that exist. Then, the parent feels less like they are complaining, and more self aware of their lives. They become more open to utilizing new resources. Everyone wins.

By Geries Shaheen

About the Author

Geries Shaheen is the team leader at Support Innovations WestCentre. He graduated from Lincoln Christian University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree from Lindenwood University. Follow Support Innovations  Here