Kindale Developmental Association

Community Living Options

Description of Programs:

Community Living/Integration
Kindale aims to develop valued social roles within the community. Focus includes: physical, social and vocational integration. A variety of programs are in place based on individual assessments. Although all of our consumers receive training towards independence, approximately fifteen individuals receive very specific training leading towards independence in the community. A variety of skills are developed which include: banking, money management, cooking, shopping, social skills, laundry, etc. We offer support for four individuals living independently in the community. Support is in the areas of: personal management, home management, money management, social skills, etc. Consumers are taken for coffee or walks in the community. This promotes awareness of where they live, shop and work. This offers consumers one to one conversation and promotes street safety and awareness. Weekly visits to the Library to borrow books, tapes and videos. Many of the "extras" such as bowling, swimming, day trips, transportation, hot lunches and outings for coffee are not funded to Kindale. Our own fundraising efforts are the means by which we can offer these extra opportunities to our consumers. Each year these costs seem to increase.

Secondary Student Transition Program
Geared towards the developmentally delayed students coming out of High School. This program provides work experience and transitional living.

Employment Skills
We have a full range of employment training. It ranges from attending behavior, work experience, profit sharing jobs, to supported (paid) employment in the community and vocational rehabilitation. Kindale has a woodwork shop located in Armstrong. Here consumers attending day program have an opportunity to be a part of the workforce.

Communication
Kindale has a Speech-language Pathologist who performs assessments, develops and implements programs specific to each consumer's need. The speech-language pathologist helps to build consumer's communication skills and to help staff-consumer communication. That is helping staff to deliver instructions and programs and helping consumers to increase their understanding and their input into their own programs. We utilize several forms of augmentative communication devices. This specialized equipment is very costly. Communication is big part of all community living programs as many consumers do not have the opportunity to communicate the same as you and I. While government funding pays for staff time, it does not cover costs of equipment and materials.

Academics/Computer Lab
Computer training with basic academics are provided for specified consumers. This may range from simply playing a game of hangmen, learning and improving spelling and to maintain personal banking information. All the basic academic programs are available to all interested consumers. Use of the computer promotes problem solving and following instructions, as well as, fine motor skills. With access to the Internet the Youth Group and the Self Advocates have developed web sites. These sites are used for recruitment of members along with many valuable links for communication with similar groups world wide. These sites build awareness of disability issues. Computers are so quickly out of date and costly to replace. The cost of the computers, printers, monitors, desks, chairs, etc. have all been purchased from fundraised dollars.

Health & Physical Development
A nurse monitors our consumer's health. Individuals that need physiotherapy to maintain mobility, balance and muscle tone are assisted under the direction of the Ministry of Health's Occupational Therapist. Exercise sessions are part of many consumers daily program. Exercise equipment is used to enhance these programs and can be unaffordable.

Music - Consumers play musical instruments and sing some of their favorite songs. Listening to old music serves many purposes - dancing (exercise), listening (reminiscing) and discussion of the old days, where they were and what they were doing when these songs came out stimulating memory.

Arts/Crafts - are usually geared for the season and special occasions throughout the year.

Gardening - Consumers help with buying plants in the spring that will grow and can later be used in the fall for arts/crafts sessions. Consumers grow a small vegetable garden each spring. Consumers who have an interest in gardening tend to the flowers and vegetables.

Cooking/Baking - Each Friday at all of the 5 day program facilities a hot lunch is prepared for the consumers. It is the responsibility of the senior's department to make the dessert for lunch. This involves going through the current flyers, chosing items on sale, making a grocery list, go shopping and preparing dessert. All these basic skills are learned by our consumers as many of them were institutionalized for many years. There are two full kitchens, one at Bechtold Centre, Armstrong and the other at Seaton Centre, Vernon. Two kitchenettes also provide opportunities, one at Bechtold Centre and the other at New Beginnings, Vernon. Programs of varying intensity teach nutritional cooking skills.

Transportation
We are currently operating 8 vehicles (either buses or vans) to transport our consumers. Four of these vehicles are equipped with lifts for transporting wheelchair dependent individuals.

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Community Living Options