Imagine! Success Story

Imagine!’s Innovations department is offering a new residential service option called the In Home Care Alternative. In this model, Innovations provides staff members for a consumer in the home of their family vs. requiring that a consumer move out of their home into a Staffed Site or Host Home. This model can be offered for both short term or long term commitments based on the individual needs of the consumer.

Read more about the model here.

We already have a success story to share with this new model. Please read the story below about Lindsey to find out more about this new approach to services.

Lindsey resides in our first successful In Home Care Alternative Home (or Family Model), and has grown tremendously since moving into this placement. 

When she first started in the Family Model, Lindsey struggled with trusting care providers and new people in her life, often isolating herself and fearing new experiences. The ability to be cared for in her home has given her the opportunity to interact with care providers and new people at her own comfort level and to feel safe in her environment. Since this move, she has slowly begun to trust care providers and allow new people in her space. She has improved in her socialization with community members and continues to find interest in new activities and adventures!

Improving cooking skills and socialization is important to Lindsey. Recently, a staff member from CORE/Labor Source reported; “Lindsey is amazing in cooking class. Today she helped me scoop the avocados and mix it all together. She served the guacamole to the other consumers and offered some to a member of the custodial crew. Lindsey is starting to make fun giggly jokes with us.” Another staff member said, “Today, I spent a few moments with Lindsey and she was funny, engaged, bringing up questions, and was conversational with staff members and just overall fun and smiley.”

Lindsey’s has made so much progress that her behavioral team is looking toward dismissing her needs in Imagine! Behavioral Health Services stating, “Lindsey has been making great strides in communicating her needs appropriately. Lindsey has also been able to use humor as a very useful tool in getting attention from her family and friends. It has been a pleasure working with Lindsey, her Innovations staff, her CORE/Labor Source staff, and her family. Lindsey’s success has truly been a team effort, with Lindsey at the helm.”

Lindsey’s success both at home and day program has been gradual. She has eased into a full five day schedule at CORE/Labor Source, including many classes such as yoga, art, music, and cooking, as well as some new interests such as science.

Lindsey has really shown me the value of patience and persistence, by overcoming her challenges at her own pace regardless of how quickly changes were made in her life. I have seen in her a great sense of humor and desire to help others since she has allowed me to get to know her.