Please join us for our monthly Caregiver Support Group on July 26, 11am-12pm! This is hosted virtually by Support Inc. and all IDD Caregivers are invited. For more information, please contact Brian at: brian.slusarz@supportinc.com
After a long cool spring and early summer, Colorado temperatures are heating up fast and it’s important to protect yourself and the person you support from heat-related illness. When possible, stay inside during the hottest parts of the day. There are some things you can do to keep the interior of your home cool such as, block direct sunlight by using window shutters or awning and keeping thermal curtains/blinds closed, increase airflow in the home by using electric fans and opening windows during the early morning/ late evening, using air conditioning and monitoring the indoor temperature. Heat related illnesses are preventable, knowing the signs to look for a responding quickly can prevent a minor illness from becoming a medical emergency. Common heat related illnesses include: heat rash (a skin condition caused by blocked sweat ducts and trapped sweat beneath the skin), sunburn, heat exhaustion (a condition that happens when your body overheats) and the most serious of heat related illnesses heat stroke (occurs when the body can no longer control it’s temperature causing the body’s temperature to rise rapidly and become unable to cool down-requires immediate medical care). To learn more about these types of heat related illnesses, how to identify signs and symptoms and what to do click here.
Tips to prevent heat related illness:
1. Stay indoors, in a cool place during extreme heat.
2. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is the primary cause of heat exhaustion. High temperatures increase the risk of dehydration.
3. Apply sunscreen every day. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours throughout the day especially if you’ve been swimming or sweating.
4. Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.
Check out this local article below, focused on caring for a loved one with IDD.
Happy Disability Pride Month! Celebrated each year in July, Disability Pride Month was established to recognize the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990. This month makes space to honor the history, achievements, and experiences of the disability community and break down the stigmas surrounding disability. Disability Pride Month also encourages us all to identify where ableism is still present in the systems and environments in which we live and consider ways to improve accessibility for all. Save the date for The Colfax Center’s celebration of this month and our community members with disabilities on Saturday, July 29! The celebration will feature speed friending, a resource fair, food, and performances. Follow the link below to learn more about this event and a peer support group.
https://lgbtqcolorado.org/event/hybrid-disability-peer-support-group/2023-07-14/
Please join us for our annual BBQ on July 27th, 1pm-5pm, at our Aurora office. This event is free and will include food, games and prizes! Please RSVP below using the link or QR code. Email HRAdmin@supportinc.com for more information.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc3FUQsQRd4hWBh4IMdYiOJFOwBjreNfMKLkVCi5PCJmICIhQ/viewform
In 2014 the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services published the final settings rule requiring home and community-based services (HCBS) to meet certain criteria. This rule ensures that all people receiving HCBS waiver services have:
-Access to the benefits of community living
-Live and receive services in integrated and non-institutional settings.
Colorado has worked to transition into compliance with this rule over the last several years. All agencies (including Support Inc.) and all settings (residential, day services, employment) are required to be in full compliance with the rule by March 2023. Click on the links below to learn more about Federal Final Settings Rule.
ØFAQ Part 1: General Questions
ØFAQ Part 2: Follow-up on General Questions
ØFAQ Part 3: Lease & Residential Agreements
ØFAQ Part 4: Employment-Related Services
ØNon-Residential Setting Training
ØIndividual Rights & Rights Modification- Providers & CMA’s
ØIndividual Rights & Rights Modification- Families & Guardians
ØIndividual Rights & Rights Modification- Members
ØPerson-Centeredness & Requirements
ØUnderstanding Guardianship & Final Settings Rule
ØNational health Institute Writing Respectfully: Person-First and Identity-First Language
ØSocial Work Today Person-Centered Thinking in Developmental Disabilities- Dreaming Possible Dreams
Great seeing many of you on the virtual Provider Town Hall yesterday, June 27th! If you missed it, you can view the recording by clicking here. You’ll need to enter this passcode to view the video: 2.5Y=&e
Below is a link to our STAR (Special Thanks and Recognition) Award presentation from this month. Congrats to the HHP recipients! The last page of this presentation has details on how to submit a STAR Award. We love seeing all the recognition! Click here to view the STAR Awards.
The next HHP Townhall will be scheduled in August – hope to see you there.
Thanks for all you do!
We want to recognize and congratulate our June Host Home Provider of the Month- David Sakul! David was nominated by his Residential Coordinators, Rich and Anna. David has been a provider with Support Inc. for many years and does a great job working with the individuals in his home and completing compliance items. Even though David is a very experienced Provider, he continues his effort in getting better by joining the Town Hall meetings or other opportunities the agency provides to learn new things and keep up to date with the requirements asked of HHP’s. David does a wonderful job in getting the individuals in his home out into the community and supporting them in the things they like to do. They have been on several trips to different areas in the state and out of state, and even went on an Ocean Cruise last year. It was the trip of a lifetime for the individuals in services. We appreciate how he sends us pictures of the things his guys get to do when traveling. David has always been very pleasant to work with and is an excellent team player. He consistently communicates the needs of his individuals and supports them with whatever they need. He strives to keep the individuals in his home active and involved in community activities. It is always wonderful to see the fun activities and travels that he takes the guys on. Thank you, David, for being an important part of the Support Inc team and for caring so much about the individuals you work with. We appreciate everything you and your family do. Congratulations on being the June Host Home Provider of the Month!
Check out this cool resource below. Follow the link to learn more about an online platform and app to search and find accessible businesses. Friendly Like Me assists individuals and families with finding local restaurants, movie theaters, etc. that are accessible and friendly to the IDD community.
We want to recognize and congratulate Support Inc. Residential Coordinator, Richard Shaw, and Host Home Providers, Diana and Kenny Wijaya, for their amazing work. They were recently honored by Kirk of Bonnie Brae UCC.
From: Vicki Wright and Ann Karlberg, Guardian designees for Kirk of Bonnie Brae UCC.
For the past 38 years, the Kirk of Bonnie Brae UCC has served as the legal guardian for Dean McEahern who receives Support Inc. services. The mission of the church was initiated by a passionate member of our congregation, Carol Rickus, who was called to be God’s servant to the developmentally disabled. Through her activism, Carol inspired the Kirk to become the legal guardian for Dean, who at the time, was only 19 years old, without a family to advocate for him and dependent on the system for his every need.
Ann- Fortunately, Dean began receiving services through Support, Inc., an agency that provides comprehensive community-based services including residential care, a day program and clinical services. His residential program coordinator, Richard Shaw, has worked with Dean for 18 years. Richard’s consistent and dedicated oversight of Dean’s services has provided Dean with the stability he has needed to really thrive. In addition to the excellent residential care Dean receives, his life is enriched through the experiences and opportunities available to him through Support, Inc.’s fine day program. Richard has been instrumental in making sure Dean has received all the resources needed to ensure the best quality of life. We are so grateful to Richard for his devoted service.
Vicki- To tell you a little bit about Diana and Kenny, some of the most compassionate Host Home Providers/caregivers we have come across in all our many years in social work. They are Indonesian by birth and came to the US in the early 2000s when Indonesia was ridding itself of Christians and other non-Muslims. As refugees, they were dependent upon Indonesian friends who came before them. They came to Florida, Virginia, then Denver, where they were told economic conditions were better. Their network in Denver suggested that Diana apply to be a host home provider, as she was new to the community and pregnant at the time. So here they are, 20 years down the road, with 3 disabled adults living in their home, and Dean has been with them for 15 years. They puree his food, feed him, thicken his water so he can drink, help him drink, even had adjustments made to their shower so they can keep him clean more easily. And I think this is Kenny’s favorite part—they take him on vacation and to local events such as Red Rocks.
The Kirk is proud of its guardianship ministry, but we couldn’t do it without the partnership of Support, Inc. and the devoted service of Richard Shaw and Diana and Kenny Wijaya. Their committed efforts have been crucial to Dean’s well-being and very much a part of this ministry. On May 21st, all three were honored for their work with a certificate of appreciation from the congregation. Congratulations Richard, Diana and Kenny!!
PHONE: (303) 340-0322
FAX: (303) 340-0385
HOURS: Mon – Thurs: 8:00am – 6:00pm
EMAIL: info@supportinc.com
15591 E. Centretech Pkwy
Aurora, CO 80011
Phone: 303-340-0322