Untitled-Design-49

September is Healthy Aging Month!

by Information & Resources

Health Aging Month was created to bring attention to the challenges that come with aging and encourage people to focus on their health and take precautions. The focus was on helping people adopt a healthier lifestyle at any age. Exercise isn’t only good for our physical health. Adding exercise into your daily routine also stimulates the growth of new brain cells, slows down the aging process, makes the skin healthier, improve sleep and boosts confidence.

As we age, we also need to increase our health screenings beyond an annual physical. Everyone should start doing a colonoscopy (colorectal cancer screening) at age 45. Women are recommended to start getting a mammogram (breast cancer screening) at age 45.

This September, we can all focus on small activities to boost our health. Choose an activity you enjoy, it can be anything from playing a sport or going for a walk, even making small healthy diet changes such as opting for fruits/vegetables or lean protein snacks instead of chips.

Are you getting out this September to get more exercise or maybe trying out a new sport? Tell us about it and maybe you could be featured on our website or Facebook page!

4

Support, Inc. BBQ

by Information & Resources

Support, Inc. hosted it’s annual Summer BBQ last week for the first time in two years. With the pandemic putting a pause on in-person activities, we were forced to forego our traditions last year. Luckily, the STAR Committee was able to host it’s summer gathering again, and we were thrilled to have everyone at our main office in Aurora. Between the food, the games, the raffles and the prizes, it was a great time to enjoy each other’s company. The friendships and comradery developed through the years always shines through when we all get together as one big bunch of people helping people.

pride

July is Disability Pride Month

by Information & Resources

Disability pride month occurs every July in the United States to commemorate the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life including jobs, schools, transportation and all public and private places that are open to the general public. This law makes sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life.

Did you know Disability pride month even has it’s own flag? The flag has a black background and diagonally across the flag are five lines colored blue, yellow, white, red, and green. Each color represents something unique about the disability community. The flag was created to encompass all disabilities and was designed by Ann Magill member of the disability community. The black background represents the suffering of the disability community from violence and serves as a color of rebellion and protest. The lightning bolt represents how individuals with disabilities must navigate barriers and demonstrates their creativity in doing so. The five colors represent the variety of needs and experiences: Mental Illness, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Invisible and Undiagnosed Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, and Sensory Disabilities.

July is an occasion to celebrate people with disabilities, honor their inherent dignity and inalienable rights, promote their visibility, and applaud their achievements. July is also a powerful reminder about the importance of disability rights and why we fight for them.

Untitled Design (12)

Host Home Provider of the Month

by Information & Resources

We are pleased to announce the Denver-Colorado Springs Team’s HHP of the Month- Jamie Sanchez! The following write-up was produced by Kayla.

Jamie began with Support Inc, in 2018. Since starting as a Respite provider she quickly proved how valuable she could be to our agency and individual’s lives alike. She found the right fit with three different gentleman who are all in our services. Being a 3-bed is a challenge for any provider, but Jamie takes it with stride. She enlisted the help of friend, Carrie McDaniel, to be her full time Respite, but she is more than that to Jamie and the guys. Carrie is an unofficial Co-Provider who also goes above and beyond to ensure all guys are well taken care of.

The dynamic of Jamie and Carrie is unmatched when it comes to the care they provide. Each time I am in the home, Carrie and Jamie have this bond with each guy and both show a genuine interest in them as well as the things they like. Jamie schedules an annual camping trip for the guys in her home. This year they are going to Bayfield and stopping in Gunnison for a University tour for one gentleman since he loves all colleges. Next, they will be going to the marina for some R&R by a lake. They will also play games, enjoy bonfires and make s’mores! They will also be going around Durango to see some shops and get out and about after the wonderful weekend of camping.

Jamie and Carrie, we are so lucky to have you both as providers and it is such a pleasure working with you. Please help join me in acknowledging the hard work and dedication of Jamie and Carrie. The Colorado Springs Team could not do it without you!

Untitled Design (45)

Quality Assurance Updates

by Information & Resources

Support, Inc. utilizes continuous quality improvement as an ongoing effort to evaluate our services, systems, and processes to identify problem areas and opportunities for improvement.  One of the ways we employ continuous quality improvement is through regular auditing completed by the Quality Assurance Department. These audits allow us to review service delivery and quality of care to the waiver participants we serve. Recently we redesigned our file review tool to bring all Support, Inc. services and departments into quality auditing practices. We are calling our new tool the mock audit. The mock audit is designed to mimic a CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) licensing visit. CDPHE is required to survey every service agency in Colorado every 3 years.

Utilizing our own mock audit allows us to assess areas that need improvement while also identifying areas we are exceeding. The mock audit will also allow the Quality Assurance department time to prepare our internal teams and our providers for a CDPHE visit. As part of the mock audit the Quality Assurance Department, in conjunction with the Residential Program Coordinator will complete a site visit to the residential settings represented in the sample.

The site visit will cover a review of the key areas CDPHE assesses when they do their visits. This includes review of medications, review areas of health and safety of the participant, and ensuring the provider understands the support needs outlined in the service plan of the participant(s) they serve.

In addition, if the participant attends the Support, Inc. day program the Quality Assurance team will do a site visit. The day program site visit will review medications, areas of health and safety of the participant, compliance with regulation required inspections and ensuring the staff understand the support needs outlined in the service plan of the participant(s) they serve.  It is the mission of the Quality Assurance Department to engage all Support, Inc. employees and contractors in the planning and implementing of ongoing improvements while utilizing data to improve the quality of care for the individuals we serve. We look forward to starting mock audits in June; if you have any questions, please do to hesitate to reach out to Laura Viers at Laura.Viers@supportinc.com

Untitled Design (12)

Host Home Provider of the Month

by Information & Resources

Please join us in congratulating our most recent recipient for Host Home Provider of the Month! Kathy Scheer has been nominated by the Denver Metro 2 Team. Read ahead for the write-up on behalf of her coordinator, Paulyn-

I would like to nominate Kathy Scheer for June HHP of the Month. I have been working with Kathy since January of this year and she has been nothing short of amazing. Kathy takes care of two individuals in services with us at Support, Inc but refers to them as her “peeps”. You can tell they absolutely adore Kathy as Tina will always ask me at every visit, “so when is Kathy going to get her provider of the Month award?”

My favorite thing about Kathy is that she doesn’t expect anything from her peeps that she won’t do herself. Roy has been struggling with a stiff back and refuses to do the stretching exercises. But when Kathy offers to join him, he will give in from time to time and join.

Kathy listens and understands her peeps so well that she was able to help Tina achieve her goal of losing 100 pounds, to be able to stand and mobilize more on her own. One day Tina went to Day Program and came home telling Kathy, “I got myself a job” with a big smile on her face. This accomplishment was achieved with the immense help and support from her HHP that fueled Tina’s drive to want to help others as well. Tina is now involved in a work study program 4 days a week, doing different tasks, in hopes of getting a paying job to earn some money to play at Black Hawk and go shopping.

Thanks again, Kathy, for being a shining example of a wonderful Host Home Provider!

Untitled Design (18)

Support, Inc. Welcomes New Medical Coordinator

by Information & Resources

Please join us in welcoming Robyn Richardson as our newest Medical Coordinator!

My name is Robyn Richardson, and I am a native to this beautiful state of Colorado. I have spent most of my time since 2012 working in veterinary medicine. I did general practice, some ER service, in home hospice and end of life care, and spent some time working with a traveling board-certified veterinary surgeon. I got to assist in amputations, TPLO (knee) surgeries, cardiac surgeries, and A LOT of puppy fractures. After deciding that I wanted to quit the physical veterinary technician duties, I tried to stay in the field by working as support staff and receptionist positions. COVID directed my passion towards helping people instead of their pets which has led me here, to Support, Inc. I am very excited to be a part of this team and I am thrilled to dive into the world of human services.

In my spare time, I spend time together with my husband Skyler, our 6-year-old son Caden, our two cats and husky. We like to enjoy what this state has to offer and hike, camp, and explore the outdoors. Or you can find us watching movies together, volunteering with our local church, or spending time we family. We are expecting another little boy to our family in October 2022. I am excited to work with all of you! (I am the woman on the far left of the attached picture, the other is my lovely mom).

Untitled Design (42)

Support, Inc. to Host Summer BBQ

by Information & Resources

The STAR Committee, on behalf of Support, Inc., will host a summer BBQ in July! Consumers and their families, employees, providers and vendors are more than welcome to attend. Please see the flyer below for more details. We look forward to providing food and playing games. We will also have a raffles with prizes! This event will be a great opportunity for everyone to come together, as we haven’t had a large agency event like this in over two and a half years.

To volunteer and/or RSVP, please contact Nick at Nicholas.Manning@supportinc.com by July 14th.

We will not be able to accommodate special diets such as pureed or thickened liquids at this event. Should the individual in your care require something specific, please make your own arrangements prior to the event.

Untitled Design (18)

Support, Inc. Welcomes New Clinician

by Information & Resources

Please join us in welcoming our newest clinician, Claire Burke!

Hello everyone! My name is Claire Burke. I recently joined Support, Inc. as a new Clinician the first week of May. I am originally from Chicago but have moved around to other states such as Michigan, Tennessee, and now recently new to Colorado. I got my Bachelors degree in Social Work from Grand Valley State University and my Masters in Social Work from University of South Florida. In these programs I held internships in both an outpatient clinical setting at Hope Network as well as a crisis care specialist through Centerstone Crisis. Through these opportunities I was able to learn and develop skills in advocacy and assisting others in reaching goals they have in the areas of behavioral and mental health.

I enjoy spending time with my dogs and try to be outside as much as possible. My family and friends are a huge part of my life and I use any free time I have to spend time with them. I am extremely excited to be a part of such a dedicated and supportive team!

Looking forward to working with you all 😊