Topic: Healthy Lifestyles

This multi-sensory teaching tool addresses the issues of privacy and hygiene in Relation to using the bathroom. It provides staff with excellent photos, relevant questions, and discussion topics. Topics include:

• What does privacy mean?
• What to do when the bathroom is busy?
• How do I lock the bathroom door?
• What is the right way to wash my hands?

Moving People Who are Non-Ambulatory can be an overwhelming task for staff.  It is very important that staff are well trained before attempting these techniques not only for their own safety but also for the safety of the people to whom they are providing care. These observation and evaluation forms give clear, step-by-step instructions on how to move people safely, and provide confidence to staff who are trusted to perform this careful task. 

Paper prescriptions, filing, finding, oh my!  One LPN, Radiant Smalls, thought there should be a better way to store and retrieve this information. Then he started to tinker and made it happen!  Radiant designed a simple database that allowed doctors to electronically record prescriptions. 

Hailed by medical staff at the YAI/NIPD Premiere Health Care Center, this innovative LPN went on to co-design a larger system with tech support from YAI’s Information Technology department. The system was expanded to include electronic vaccination logs, a PPD log, a hospitalization log and reminder flagging for incomplete notes. 

Faced with the challenge of equal inclusion and opportunity for people with profound/pervasive intellectual and physical disabilities, one program team modified the way that the game of baseball is played.

Learn about this unique approach where everyone plays and everyone scores.  Play ball!

The Caring Curriculum is divided into five areas called activity themes. They are as follows:

• Caring for Self
• Caring for Others
• Caring for Animals
• Caring for Plants
• Caring for the Environment

Activity themes are reflected on the daily schedule as well as being implemented through incidental teaching and skill generalization opportunities.

Individual treatment plan needs are addressed through the Caring Curriculum activity themes. Activity themes can be expanded based on an individual’s interests and capabilities.

This Jeopardy style game will make learning and practicing communication and social skills a good time for all!  Appropriate for individuals with profound and severe intellectual disabilities, “Answer Me This” also teaches reality orientation, everyday living and health related skills.

Game play involves answering simple questions or performing simple tasks. Many question cards have hints on how to adapt the questions for different cognitive abilities. Pictures are supplied and can be used as multi-sensory tools to aid in comprehension and engagement.

This lesson plan is filled with engaging activities that will help people with intellectual disabilities identify feelings and respond to them appropriately. 

They will learn to identify their own emotions and meet their needs with more consideration and better results.  They’ll also learn how to identify the feelings of others along with the responses that are socially helpful.

Learning important social skills has never been so much fun!

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) might have difficulty in forming intimate relationships. Needless to say, forming intimate relationships can be very challenging for many people, whether disabled or not. We have supported people with IDD in living productive lives in the community, especially in regard to housing and jobs. Yet often supporting intimate relationships is overlooked.

This innovative five part series teaches the required essential skills. The five sections are:

1. Assertiveness
2. Boundaries
3. Communication
4. Initiating a Date
5. Rejection/Breakup

Each unit is designed to be highly interactive, including role playing and numerous exercises.

This lesson plan is in the PINK, where breast cancer awareness is explored using the symbol of the pink ribbon. 

Participants learn about breast health and community connection through activities such as Baking for the Cure, Ribbons for the Community and participation in the community’s Breast Cancer Walk.

Get in gear, and get pink!

What impact does a “hangover” have on my job performance?  Will marijuana really effect my health?  This unit will educate people with intellectual and developmental disabilities about the consequences of using illegal drugs and alcohol. The Drugs and Alcohol lesson plan and guides teach identification of illegal drugs, the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on friendship, work and health, as well as the practice of drug testing for placement in numerous jobs. This unit is part of the “Ready…Set…Work!” curriculum, which contains 31 teaching units.

We created an initiative to look at Physical Activity and Exercise among our staff and consumers.

We formed a committee of motivated staff, willing to take on this cause. Staff who were interested and motivated in improving the health and well-being of our consumers through physical activity and exercise. Most of the staff who volunteered were generally physically active themselves. They believed in the value of exercise and many participated in structured exercise programs. Others were interested in becoming more physically active themselves and saw this as an opportunity to do so.

Individuals of all capabilities can participate in meaningful food preparation.  Using pictorial recipes, group participants learn about ingredients and tools used in preparing simple recipes and engage in tasks such as mixing, measuring, spreading and slicing. 

Recipes selected maximize opportunities for exploring the variety of sensory experiences associated with food preparation (appearance, smell, texture, taste, and temperature) as well as allow individuals to make choices according to personal preference. 

In addition to food preparation skills, participants practice table manners and have opportunity to engage in social interaction.

Direct service professionals often have the responsibility of recognizing changes in a person’s functioning and being the first to report it These changes may be Signs and Symptoms of illness or disease.  Once a deviation from a person’s “normal” behavior is identified, there are several areas to consider when assessing the situation and deciding on a plan of action. This In-Service training will help staff in their abilities to both assess these situations as well as carry out the appropriate plan of action.

This lesson plan sees RED!  Through the color red and the theme of heart health, learners will explore their own health through all aspects of the program week.

Activities include creating red flower arrangements, red crafts, special cooking, movement, educational and community activities.

So get in gear and get red!

Individuals of all capabilities can participate in meaningful food preparation. 

Using pictorial recipes, group participants learn about ingredients and tools used in preparing simple recipes and engage in tasks such as mixing, measuring, spreading and slicing.  Recipes selected maximize opportunities for exploring the variety of sensory experiences associated with food preparation (appearance, smell, texture, taste, and temperature) as well as allow individuals to make choices according to personal preference. 

In addition to food preparation skills, participants practice table manners and have opportunity to engage in social interaction.

What physical and emotional changes occur as we grow from children to adults?  What are the different parts of our genitals called and what function do they serve?

These and many other questions are addressed through clear information and creative exercises. Graphic drawings to support education accompany this training.

In this lesson, participants learn that people who have strong relationships are happier and more resilient. 

Through discussion and activities, participants learn how to recognize a potential friend and ways they can build and strengthen their friendships.

Our appearance impacts all of our social and professional interactions.  Many people with ID are unaware of the impression their hygiene practice makes on others.  They may be unaware of all the components of hygiene that help them look approachable and pleasing to others.

The “Hygiene” teaching unit contains lesson plans, guides, and games ideas for teaching these important skills and for maintaining them while on the job.

This unit is part of the “Ready, Set, Work” curriculum, which contains 31 teaching units.

In this lesson, participants learn that people who are able to savor life’s joys are happier and more resilient.

Through engaging activities participants learn strategies for savoring life including reminiscing about the past, being in the moment and anticipating the future.

The Mission Nutrition board game is intended to encourage healthy eating practices and an overall healthy lifestyle.

Verbal and non-verbal consumers can participate in this game due to the abundance of pictures and movement activities.

A colorful game board and game pieces are included!

In this engaging lesson, participants learn that people who practice kindness are happier and more resilient (better able to bounce back). After viewing the movie “Pay it Forward,” participants discuss how kind deeds make them feel and how they can be increased in everyday life.

The lesson plan explains how to help rally the group to engage in random acts of kindness across a variety of activities. These good deeds accrue points that can lead to a group celebration. 

The unit activities can also be run without film viewing.

Genital education and care are often overlooked because of teaching and learning unease with these subjects.

This lesson plan addresses this discomfort with humor and creative exercises to deliver a full educational program on male and female care.  It includes information about menstruation, peri-menopause and menopause as well as breast and genital monthly self-checks. 

This packet contains graphic drawings to support learning.