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First-time to Push Wheelchairs?

Here are tips for you!

Being able to brave through a first-time disability is not just dependent on the patient’s willpower. Their family members and friends can also empower them to win over the challenges at the initial phase of their disability. Persons who use wheelchairs for the first time will need adequate assistance and support service in Indiana. The first line of support comes from immediate family members.

When your loved one is a first-time wheelchair user, then you can be designated with the honored role of being a wheelchair pusher for the first time. When this is your case, adjusting to the need may be uncomfortable, but here are tips that can help you manage.

  • Be Mindful of Walls or Objects Ahead
    When you’re pushing your loved one’s wheelchair, remember that they’re the ones ahead of you. If you’re walking with a crowd or anywhere, be careful about bumping someone ahead or hitting an object that you haven’t checked earlier. This extra care can keep your loved one in a safe and comfortable condition.
  • Talk Gently
    As you assist your loved one on a wheelchair. Always ask their permission FIRST. Avoid assuming that your loved one would love to go to a place where you also want to go. Ask for what they want so that you can get to your destination in a better situation. When you need some backup, our team providing respite services in Fort Wayne, Indiana is ready to step in for you.
  • Be Careful on Sloping Pathways
    When pushing a wheelchair, take note of the paths you’re taking. If you notice that these are sloping areas, firmly hold the wheelchair to avoid it veering to the lower side. This can be risky when the sloping area is near a driveway.
  • Consider Going Backwards
    In some instances, going backward to get through your destination is easier and more manageable to accomplish. This is applicable when you’re about to go over bumps, on sloping areas, or through heavy doors. This is also easily achievable when the wheels are large.
  • Obey Your Loved One
    Always pay attention to what the person in the wheelchair says. After all, it’s their comfort and wellbeing that are at stake when the wheelchair is improperly pushed. When they tell you to stop, stop pushing. This can enable them to also enjoy your company.
  • Stay Along Checkout Lanes
    Keep your loved one in line with the checkout lane when you’re in a store. When you’re not mindful, you might have pushed them too forward and past the desk.

What do you think about these tips? As providers of habilitation services to individuals on wheelchairs, we hope that you find these tips helpful for your initial experience as your loved one’s assistant. When you also need extra hands to back you up, feel free to contact our team at Beloved Shepherd LLC. We’ll be here to lend a hand.

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Encourage Independence in a Loved One with Disabilities

As a dedicated family caregiver, you’re probably used to doing a lot of things for your loved one. Of course, it only goes to show how much you want them to enjoy a better quality of life under your wing. But did you know that kindling a bit of independence in them will be beneficial to the both of you and even the rest of the family?

Gaining a sense of independence brings in a multitude of benefits. It will help your loved one feel empowered despite their condition and inspire them to be more productive in their daily life. At the same time, it also frees you from other responsibilities. So really, it’s a win-win situation at any angle. But how exactly do you promote the value of independence to someone who has disabilities?

To help you out with this conundrum, Beloved Shepherd LLC has a couple of suggestions that should help your loved one be more independent as they go on their days:

  • Give them support, rather than control themThere’s quite a thin line between the two. But how can you make sure that you’re supporting your loved one rather than controlling them?

    For starters, you can try asking the person you’re caring for about their preferences rather than deciding things for them. This window of freedom might be small, but it will definitely work wonders on your loved one’s psyche. By offering your loved one the right to make certain choices it will reinforce that you respect their capabilities. In turn, this will urge them to be more independent in the long run.

  • Understand them and their behaviorEvery action bears a reason behind it. When you’re able to understand that reason, you’re also able to appropriately respond to how your loved one may act. A great way you can make this possible is by implementing an open communication line. Service with understanding – it’s the same brand of Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana that we deliver. If you’re curious to learn more about our other services, you can always reach out to us with a call.
  • Inspire them to learn daily living skillsA little patience and a whole lot of perseverance go a long way. Starting out won’t always be easy. But as the days have passed, you will come to notice that chores and whatnot will be less of a trouble for you and your loved one. However, if you feel like you could use some help in this area, we have Habilitation Services that can assist your loved one in gaining a better grasp of daily living skills and more.

Talk to us about your needs. We have a bundle of different support services that will be of great help to you, as a family caregiver, and to the rest of your family as well. In fact, we invite you to share this post with the rest of the family for a healthy discussion.

How Do You Prepare Your Loved One for Respite Care?

You’ve made plans. Your schedule is booked. You’re ready to take on the world again as providers of Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana, fill in your spot at your loved one’s side. But while you’re hyped to have some time off, how can you make sure that the person you’re caring for will be comfortable while you’re gone?

No need to fuss, preparing your loved one for receiving respite care is as easy the few steps that we’ve enumerated for you below. To begin, you must take it into consideration to…

  • List down your loved one’s needs
    Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who has been diagnosed with disabilities require the same exact thing. And because of that, it is important for you to determine the specific needs of your loved one. Making this small effort will bring you the peace of mind that the person you are looking after will have the same exact quality of care that you have provided them so far.
  • Help your loved one understand what respite care is about
    Is respite care an act of abandonment? Quite far from it. This nifty service will allow the family caregiver to rest or tend to other obligations while the patient remains in good hands. While your loved one may be a bit uncertain now, they will certainly warm up to having respite care soon.
  • Ask your loved one if they have any questions about the service
    If it is your first time signing up for this service, it’s fairly natural that your loved one, or even you, may have a couple of questions about how this type of service works. And that’s okay! Without further ado, you can always reach out to Beloved Shepherd LLC. We have diligent representatives on the line that are always ready to take your call.
  • Tell your loved one what they should expect from respite care
    There is no one way to provide respite care. It can be delivered in several forms and it can come with a variety of services as well. In the end, the type of respite care that your loved one receives will depend on the kind of needs that they have.

This is why it is important for you as the family caregiver to make note of the manner of assistance you usually offer the person you are caring for. Being elaborate with the service provider will help secure that the Support Service in Indiana that your loved one will acquire is equal or even better compared what they are already receiving.

So, do you think you will be able to have an easier time preparing the person you care about for respite care? If you still have concerns or questions on your mind, you can always drop us a comment in the reply box just below this post. Or, if it is more convenient for you, you can also contact us.

Autism Care: How to Engage Your Child in Active Play

Exploring the outside world can be an exciting but also challenging time for parents who are accompanying their children. At all times, they need to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their child once they’re outdoors. For parents whose children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their monitoring is even more intensified. This is why the need to have Support Service in Indiana is really vital.

However, this is just one side of the story. There are some children with ASD who also don’t want to explore the outdoors. This can prove to be another challenge for parents since playing outdoors is an activity that can also benefit the health of their child. Does this describe your child?

If so, here are helpful tips to get them engaged in doing activities outdoors and in so doing, reaping the benefits for their wellbeing:

  • Allow for Familiarity
    Our children with ASD can naturally have hesitations to doing something they’re not familiar of and being with people they don’t know. To address this, you can set up creative ways to make these activities familiar to them. For instance, if you want to take your child to a place that provides Habilitation Services so they can spend time with other people, you can tell stories about the place, take them for a quick visit, show pictures, and get them excited about the location and the activities. The more familiar they are, the easier it is for them to integrate with the activities.
  • Celebrate Achievements
    As soon as you see your child participating even in little ways, make sure to celebrate these small achievements. You can try visiting an outdoor playground at a time when there are no children around and then appreciate them for the fact of even going there. This can be an ideal first step to their active lifestyle. These quick appreciations can be very helpful to establish your child’s idea about the outdoors. With your appreciation, they can feel and know that it’s safe and alright for them to try again, thus, increasing the chances that they will do it again.
  • Coordinate with Others
    In organizations and facilities such as Beloved Shepherd LLC, we promote activities that enhance social skills for persons with autism and developmental disabilities. It can be very helpful when you work with these groups so you will have a more proactive way of engaging your child to activities that are beneficial to them, while at the same time, establishing a support group with fellow parents. This can also be your avenue to seek for Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana when you find the need to get some rest.

There are indeed a lot of things you can do to ensure that your child with autism is growing well and healthy. As you stretch out your creativity, keep in mind that you always have a supportive group who can back you up whenever you need help. Talk to us about this.

traveling-with-a-developmentally-disabled-person

Do you have any plans to travel with your loved one with developmental disability? If you’ve been hesitating for a long time, know that there are plenty of ways to ensure their safety and comfort, especially in the transportation matters. There are Habilitation Services providers that can help you with transportation needs even if it’s only up to the airport.

At Beloved Shepherd LLC, we’re here to help you ensure that the wellbeing of your loved one with developmental disability is cared for. We can assist you with your transportation preferences to ensure that your loved one will have a smooth and comfortable travel. Along with that, here are further travel tips that you can find helpful in implementing your travel goals.

  • Create a Plan
    Even if you’re not a planner kind of person, taking with you a loved one with developmental disability on a trip can be made more manageable with a good plan. You need to identify ideal schedules to head out, book tickets early, arrange to get some assistance, and ensure that your loved one with developmental disability will be well-attended to.
  • Read about Travel Safety
    It can also help when you learn in advance helpful information about how to ensure the safety of your loved one on transit and in your intended destination. Research about the place you’re going to and learn about locations that you can visit and that are safe for their welfare. After all, their safety is still your priority.
  • Practice Traveling
    Before you can implement long-distance trips, it is also ideal to conduct practice runs in your own community. With some assistance from providers of support service in Indiana, you can visit parks, museums, and important places that they can be interested in. With practice runs, your loved one can familiarize themselves with seeing new places, hearing vehicle honks, and other travel-related challenges.
  • Coordinate with Their Physician
    In these trips, you also need to make sure that their health care needs are being properly monitored and addressed. Their physician can help you in preparing additional details about their health and how you can prepare for their medications and other unexpected instances. Their doctor can also help you to cope with conditions when medical support is limited.
  • Put on Emergency ID
    In your trip, ensure that your loved one puts on emergency identification so that they can be easily located when any untoward incident happens. Ensure that the ID contains their updated photo, medical information, and your contact number.

Disabilities should not be a reason to keep you and your loved one from enjoying beautiful places together. As providers of Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana, we recognize that these travels also have benefits of their own. With sufficient planning, and with the right kind of support, your transportation challenges can be managed.

If you need our assistance, contact us right away.

Key Benefits of Community-based Habilitation

It is our goal as a provider of Habilitation Services in Indiana that every person with developmental and intellectual disability will have an opportunity to live and thrive just like every one of us. We believe that with the right assistance and support, they can be independent, face other people sensibly, and become productive in their own unique way.

If you have a loved one with developmental or intellectual disability, take it upon yourself to expose them to opportunities such as residential and community-based habilitation. Whether for short-term, so that you can get some respite, or for long-term so they can build up their individual personalities, the habilitation environment can be ideal for them. Consider the following benefits:

  • Promotes Inclusion
    In our community-based habilitation services, we recognize that every person deserves to play their role in the community. When they are engaged with different community activities, other community members also get to recognize that there is no barrier between groups of people despite physical or intellectual limitations. When there is inclusion, there is also more love, harmony, and peace.
  • Practices Rights of Persons with Disabilities
    Our community-based Support Service in Indiana is provided to promote and practice the individual rights of persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities. As fellow human beings, they also have the right to enjoy, explore, and learn alongside us, so they can be the best person that they ought to be. They deserve it.
  • Promotes Independence and Integration
    The settings and programs in a community-based habilitation are designed to practice and enhance the participant’s independence. They will be provided with trainings and activities that enable them to live on their own, so that, even without their primary caregivers, they can still carry on with their daily activities. Because we are staffed with experienced and compassionate Home health care providers, you can also have peace of mind about your loved one’s wellbeing.
  • Provides Education to Person and Families
    The inclusion in a community-based setting is also education both for the person with disability and their families. They will learn further about the many exciting opportunities available for their loved one and how they can properly relate with them in a more loving and nurturing way.
  • Place for Recreation and Respite
    Because we also provide Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana, family caregivers can also have the opportunity to rest and relax while their loved one is under our care. Our recreational programs are ideal for persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities so that, when you are ready to provide care again, your loved one also had a fruitful experience.

Always know that caring for a loved one with disability is not a one-man show. Don’t hesitate to seek help and assistance in the right avenues. At Beloved Shepherd LLC, you can trust that the assistance we provide is always focused on meeting the unique needs of your loved one’s developmental or intellectual disability.