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Tips When Communicating with a Child Who Has Autism

Interactions and fruitful communication can be challenging when we are conversing with a child who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a form of disorder that affects a child’s mental development and is caused by different factors. Every person’s ASD is unique, and so, not all individuals with autism can be challenging to communicate with. However, there are helpful guidelines to remember when we are communicating with them.

As a Habilitation Services provider for persons with ASD, we recognize how challenging it can be when communicating with a person who has autism. For that, we would like to impart these tips to help you attain quality interaction.

  • Exercise patience in your every interaction.
    In most cases, children with ASD may take time to process the message you just relayed to them. If you’re also talking fast, you might need to slow down. These challenges require patience on your part so you will be able to interact with them productively. Patience is always our first recommendation based on our experience in providing Support Services in Indiana.
  • Avoid taking the child’s responses to a personal level.
    For persons with ASD, the emotional level of things may be difficult to grasp. So they can be frank in telling you that they don’t like you or other expressions they want to say. However, they don’t really mean this to hurt you or affect you personally. It is just their way of seeing things. Maintaining an objective mindset can help you gain productivity in your interactions.
  • Stay cheerful when interacting with a child with ASD.
    The cheerful behavior is easily acceptable for them. You can also gently follow up their response when you are cheerful because the child can feel comfortable in your presence.
  • Play with the child.
    When possible, playing with a child with ASD can help address their short attention span. This way, if they have something to say to you, they may want to do so while doing something else. Playing is a helpful avenue to achieve this as the child can also feel relaxed.
  • Be genuinely interested in them and with what they do.
    Express your appreciation or interest to them as a person and as someone with unique capabilities. They can sense your interest and love for them, and as a result, they will feel more comfortable in your presence. Because of that, it will be easier for them to converse with you especially when they ask for assistance with their home health care needs.

How are you enjoying your bonding moments with your child who has ASD? At Beloved Shepherd LLC, know that your loved one can also have a positive and nurturing environment. With our team, you have the backup you need whenever you want to get a temporary break from your caregiving role. We provide Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana so that you will have the peace of mind knowing that your child is with trusted people.

For inquiries about our services, contact us.

How Residential Habilitation Makes a Difference

What is residential habilitation? These are services provided by a residential facility that are structured around the needs of its physically and functionally disabled residents.

Witnessing our loved ones struggle with the simplest tasks is heartbreaking. It can also be a frustrating situation altogether because there’s really nothing we can do to make things better. However, just because you can’t do anything yourself doesn’t mean you can’t ask help from experts. Beloved Shepherd LLC is a provider of Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana that aims to give the disabled members of the community and their families a break from the physical and emotional toll that comes from being in their unfortunate predicament.

Here we will discuss the ways in which residential habilitation can make a difference in families’ lives:

  • Exceptional care.
    It goes without saying that only the very best care should be provided to our family members. Whenever our loved one is struggling to cope with his or her disability, we only want the most reputable agency to handle their care. Residential habilitation focuses on providing support services that cater to the specific needs of your loved one, helping them overcome challenges that keep them from living life to the fullest.
  • Living a good life.
    Disability should never be the end of anyone’s dreams. These days, agencies that provide Support Service in Indiana are dedicated to guiding the disabled segment of the population to a life of fulfillment and success. Residential habilitation gives your loved ones the care they need to take on the challenges of their disabilities and life in general, with independence and dignity.
  • Peace of mind.
    Disabilities don’t merely affect the persons who have them, but their family and friends as well. It’s difficult to find any reprieve when the people you care about are suffering on a daily basis and unable to live the lives they deserve. Because residential habilitation brings the best care providers in the industry together, families can rest assured that the highest quality and most structured care service is consistently delivered to their loved ones. This ensures peace of mind for the entire family and allows everyone to move forward in life.
  • A high quality of life.
    Everyone deserves to live the very best life they can despite the challenges they face. Residential habilitation prevents disabilities from taking root in your loved one’s life and allows them to cope with the issues it brings in the best possible way. The care and support these agencies provide help them pursue their dreams and accomplish their goals.

Overcoming disability can be a huge challenge for families. Residential habilitation makes it easier by delivering care and support that not only centers on the needs of the physically and functionally disabled, but also on the family members who care for them at home.

In what other ways can residential habilitation change lives? Please share your ideas in the comments section.

Fall Prevention: How to Prevent Falls at Home

Disabilities have their way of turning lives upside down. Whether it’s an inborn disability or something that resulted from an accident or injury, it can bring some of the toughest challenges to any family. It goes without saying that we never hesitate to bring love, care, and support to family members who have physical and functional limitations. However, in our mission to constantly provide for the needs of our loved ones, we can neglect our own needs – our health and well-being, as well as our dreams of personal fulfillment.

Beloved Shepherd LLC delivers top-notch Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana and we believe that achieving the right balance between caregiving and life roles is absolutely crucial to the care process. Here’s how respite care factors in accomplishing this goal.

  • Respite from the struggles of caregiving.
    Caregiving can be as stressful as it is rewarding when you take too much on your plate and don’t ask for help. It can take its toll on you physically, mentally, and emotionally, which also compromises the level of care you give to your loved one. Respite care helps you overcome the struggles that come with your caregiving role and help you have a more balanced and happier life.
  • Time for yourself.
    No matter how determined you are to care for your loved ones, you still have to make time for yourself. Keep in mind that you’re more than just a caregiver to a family member; you also have other roles to make time for such as being a parent, a student, or a dreamer.
  • Avoiding resentment.
    Many family caregivers become a victim of resentment as they start to resent their loved ones for somehow taking time away from them. Some part of you may tell you that it’s not your parents’ or grandparents’ fault, but all the stress and negative feelings that come from failing to accomplish your dreams within schedule may cause you to blame the situation on them anyway. Respite care allows you to find the right balance between caregiving and your career, helping you steer clear of this predicament as much as possible.
  • Helping you pay for care.
    What’s likely to happen when all you do is spend time caring for your loved one? Well, you might not be able to save enough funds to pay for future care. For some people, their ability to pay for care and treatment bills highly depends on how much they’re able to make at work. With respite care, you can rest assured that your loved ones are being properly cared for as you do your best to make a living.

Providers of habilitation services, like Beloved Shepherd LLC are known for being exceptional providers of respite care. Take advantage of this amazing Support Service in Indiana for the people in your family who are afflicted with permanent physical disabilities.

Can you share any other wonderful benefit of respite care? Please feel free to write in the comments section.

Exercise Tips for Persons with Down Syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) will not keep a person from acquiring a healthy lifestyle through exercising. According to one study, individuals with Down syndrome can benefit a lot from doing exercises. These benefits include the following:

  • Maintenance of healthy weight, thus, avoiding obesity
  • Improves heart health, thus, reducing the risk of heart attacks
  • Improves breathing, thus, strengthening respiratory function
  • Boosts mental health and well-being
  • Strengthens joint stability
  • Enhances motor function

Do you have a family member with Down syndrome? Are they exercising on a regular basis? If your loved one needs Support Service in Indiana even with their active lifestyle, you can always seek help from trusted care providers.

Yet, the habit of exercising can start at home and with you. It may be challenging to begin with, but here are some tips to help you get going:

  • Focus on Strengthening Their CoreIn selecting exercise routines for your loved one with DS, prioritize routines that can strengthen their spine and hips. These parts serve as the foundational support of their overall physical function. For starters, you can do planking or hip rotational exercises.

    Quick Tip: Consult with the doctor, therapist, or workout coach specializing with DS. They can give more helpful inputs in selecting more appropriate routines specific for your loved one.

  • Prevent Joint InjuriesThe muscles and joints of a person with DS are not as strong or well-structured as those who don’t have DS. For this reason, be mindful of exercise routines that can result in injuries. When doing range of motion exercises, shorten the time frame. Better yet, perform some squats or floor presses instead. If your loved one is receiving Habilitation Services, they can also get healthy insights from other people in their community.
  • Shorten RoutinesPersons with DS can be encouraged to exercise, yet they can also get bored that easily. Stick to regular and shortened schedules. A routine good for 30 minutes is already ideal enough.
  • Make Exercising FunLike anyone of us, exercising can be like a chore on some days. Your loved one with DS may also feel so disinterested with exercising on certain days. Ensure that the activities you do are fun and entertaining for them. Use their personal interests to inspire your creativity. For instance, if they like to play with dogs, you can encourage them to take the dog out for a walk to the park or around the block.
  • Get the Doctor’s ApprovalBefore proceeding with any exercise regimen, or any activity for that matter, ensure that their doctor has also approved it. While exercising promotes quality Home health care, you will still need to do it the right way.

Do you find the above tips helpful? We hope you do! Meanwhile, if it’s your time to do your exercises, you can entrust your loved one to us while you complete your workout. We provide Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Call Beloved Shepherd LLC for more assistance.

Mealtime Strategies for Children with Autism

Have you had mealtime challenges with your child who has autism? These challenges can range from not wanting to eat new foods or simply not having an appetite at all. Even for children with autism, the need to eat nutritious meals every time is important.

As we provide Habilitation Services, we know how addressing the needs of a person with autism can be very challenging. Yet, it is not impossible to promote their overall health with some help in between. For that, we would like to share some helpful strategies to improve your loved one’s eating habits even when autism seems to disrupt them:

  • Consult the Doctor
    You need to know if your child’s lack of appetite is not caused by any physical condition or illness. Many children with autism face medical issues such as chewing difficulty or acid reflux. These issues keep them from eating well. Seek the doctor’s advice on what you can do to treat these conditions.
  • Help a Child Relax
    If your child appears anxious before mealtimes, find ways to get them to relax. You can introduce deep breathing or having them do hand exercises with each other. Also, it is important for the child to feel that they are not forced when they eat. Avoid the instances of forcing them to eat to reduce anxious behaviors.
  • Sit with the Child
    As providers of Support Service in Indiana, we know how having companions can give comfort to persons with autism. When they feel relaxed in your company, they can also follow your example with the way you eat, chew, and swallow.
  • Gradual Food Introduction
    If you want to introduce new kinds of foods to your child, do it in a gradual manner. For instance, you can start with storytelling related to the food, then pointing it out in grocery stores. After days of letting them see these, you can place these foods on the table just for familiarity. Eventually, they can relax in the presence of the food, and enjoy eating it later on.
  • Encourage Food Exploration
    It may sound unusual, but letting your child with autism explore their food helps them to see eating as something fun. As they enjoy exploring the different fruits and vegetables you set before them, they will learn to feel comfortable with new foods. Isn’t this a creative way to practice Home health care through their meals?
  • Stick to Meal Times
    Children, with or without autism, can benefit from fixed eating routines. These routines train their body clock so that they will feel hungry at the scheduled time.

How do you find the aforementioned tips? If you’re applying any of these, do let us know how it went for you!

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for providers of Respite Services in Fort Wayne, Indiana to watch over your child who has autism while you run errands, we’re here. Call Beloved Shepherd LLC for more inquiries.

Benefits of a Residential Habilitation Program

People with physical or developmental disabilities require assistance in completing their day-to-day activities. For these people, a support service in Indiana is definitely a must. This service helps in improving one’s ability to do self-care. Through this service, the individual can enjoy an improved quality of life.

It isn’t just the individuals with disabilities who can enjoy the benefits of habilitation. In fact, one’s primary caregiver can also take advantage of this service to avoid getting burned out. After all, the primary caregiver can take a rest while the person they are caring for is undergoing the habilitation program. They don’t need to spend extra to hire another caregiver offering respite services in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Aside from these, there are many other benefits that one can enjoy with residential habilitation programs. Here are the benefits that habilitation brings:

  • Building Skills for Daily LifeHabilitation aims to give individuals with disabilities as much independence as possible. The program will teach the individual the right skills for daily living. These skills include the following:
    • Eating and food preparation
    • Personal hygiene
    • Dressing
    • Household chores
    • Grooming

    Being able to master these skills despite one’s physical or developmental difficulties not only encourages independence, but it also instills a sense of fulfillment as well as boosts self-esteem.

  • Improving Communication and Socialization SkillsSocialization is healthy. Thus, individuals with disabilities should not isolate themselves. They should be able to communicate with friends and family members. They should also go out and meet other people. Habilitation services ensure that these individuals are able to socialize well with others. The skills taught during the program include:
    • Interpersonal and social skills
    • Communications
    • Decision-making and problem-solving skills

    Connecting with others has a positive impact on an individual’s general well-being. Thus, open opportunities for individuals with disabilities to interact with others.

  • Health MonitoringIndividuals with limited mobility will require home health care. They will surely need the assistance of their caregiver to do most things around the house. However, that shouldn’t give off the impression that they are helpless and can’t do things on their own, especially with regards to their health. The program will allow them to do even the smallest things such as:
    • Monitoring physical conditions
    • Providing assistance with medication management
    • Mobility

    Staying healthy is one’s topmost priority. With habilitation programs, one can certainly improve their state in no time.

  • Other SkillsDepending on the status of one’s disability, there are other things that can be learned during the program. These skills include:
    • Financial management
    • Perceptual and motor skills
    • Utilizing community resource

Beloved Shepherd LLC helps individuals with disabilities gain as much independence as possible for their condition. Do you know of someone who might need habilitation programs? Share this post so they will know what’s in store for them as they go through this program.