In the current Covid-19 reality, maintaining a level of normalcy for neuro-diverse young adults is important for their ongoing progress, mental wellness, and success. At Cabin Mountain Living Center, a member of the Q&A Family of Programs, Director Kelly Pennington and Assistant Director Donna Fridley have been creative in achieving this goal.
Daily activities such as grocery shopping, going to the post office, spending time in the library, and going out to socialize with neighbors are simply not available right now. To compensate for this lack of community-immersed programming, Pennington and Fridley have created detailed programming in-house to mimic, as much as possible, the usual activities that clients must miss. Because the clients look forward to weekly meal planning and grocery shopping and to maintain this weekly activity, designated staff go to the store and purchase all items for the clients. They then create a grocery store in the administrative offices. The clients take their shopping bags and grocery lists and shop for the week. They are able to practice budgeting by using their weekly allowances to make purchases. This also allows the clients to maintain some autonomy during this time when it feels as though they have lost most of their control.
Working with a neuro-diverse population can be a challenge, even without the threat of a pandemic. One of the most important factors in successful programming for this population is maintaining consistency. This is a huge challenge with social distancing in play. However, there are creative ways to allow clients to continue practicing the life skills they are building while residing at Cabin Mountain Living Center.
“While social distancing and quarantining are challenges for any residential program, this is also an opportunity to evaluate program structure and implement new protocols,” said Director Pennington; “We are taking advantage of the opportunity to learn more about our neuro-diverse population and what interventions are most successful.”
About Cabin Mountain Living Center
Cabin Mountain is operated as a communal environment on a 15 acre farm where clients care for goats, a pot-bellied pig, chickens, cats and dogs. They also care for a garden in the summer months and learn the importance of the foods they eat by working with a nutritionist regularly. The male and female clients share common spaces, but enjoy private sleeping areas as well as two resource areas featuring an educational area and a newly developed sensory room. For more information on Cabin Mountain, please contact Angie Shockley, CEO and Owner of Q&A Associates at 304-642-9070 or ashockley@qa-associates.com.