UCP of the North Bay
Adult Day Program Update
April 24th, 2020
Helping Participants through Personal Connection
“UCP of the North Bay would like to reassure our participants, family members, and the community that we are doing everything possible to stay socially connected by providing online training and education programs that support the continued health and well-being of the children and adults that we serve.”
UCP of the North Bay has refined our outreach efforts to participants and the documentation that supports their online learning and participation. When a staff member contacts an individual participant in the morning, they complete a secure Google Docs Contact Form that includes drop-down menus and fill-in-the-blanks for the staff member name, participant name, contact time and length, contact type (telephone, Facebook, Zoom, etc.), contact person (if other than participant), wellness rating, call summary, participant suggestions, and contact information update (as needed). Information about daily and weekly class schedules is available to facilitate participation. All of the information automatically populates a spreadsheet that can be sorted by staff member or participant. This is in addition to the extensive documentation of participation in classes using Zoom Video Conferencing.
As WineBev Services continues to identify participants that do not have internet access and need laptops to access online classes, we are adding new classes and refining our current classes with both curriculum content and weekly scheduling. Some of our new classes include Employment Readiness, Agriculture, Light Exercise, Stress and Anxiety Management, Gardening, and Resume Preparation.
As our direct service staff members make their morning calls to participants, they have a list of daily and weekly classes to review with participants. We are also running prize drawings for the staff member that enrolls the most participants in classes and the participant that attends the most classes. The goal is to familiarize our participants with Zoom as the new form of social connection and learning.
WineBev Services is also continuing to engage in supervisor only onsite kitting (package assembly). Our main project is creating 12-pack kitted boxes, but we are now assembling 6-pack and 3-pack boxes. We are anticipating a growth in the number of onsite kitting projects as wineries increase their distribution. With face masks in high demand, a family member of an administrative staff is hand sewing 500 masks for our staff and participants.
OADS has completed our second week of scheduled classes and we are in the process of adding different classes that have been requested by our participants. All our classes increase social interaction and technology skills, and we are working toward a balance of employment related classes and activity related classes. We held our first History class last week that focused on Theme Parks. This kind of activity oriented class works really well with engaging participants through the use of online videos to enhance the virtual play experience of being at a theme park.
We continue to remined our participants about the importance of sheltering in place, following social distancing in public places, and using masks including how to make masks out of everyday materials. We have also been educating our participants about how to cope with emotional stress during shelter in place through the use of relaxation videos during classes.
Gone for Good has added several classes this week including Art Appreciation, Word Puzzle, and Book Club. We are continuing our required Employment Readiness Training with a Fire Safety Training Class. The Employment Readiness Training series is open to all UCP of the North Bay participants, which is only possible because we have implemented online classes. This will be an added value to future participant trainings even after we are able to safely transition back to regular site and community based program activities.
Online class attendance is increasing each day as our direct service staff members continue to teach Zoom Video Conferencing to parents, caregivers, and participants. Some of our staff members are continuing to work at the Gone for Good warehouse bailing rags, plastics, and cardboard. They are also maintaining our fleet of trucks and vans. For Earth Day, we held a virtual tour of our Gone for Good Garden located at the home of one of our staff members and had a discussion about how many tons of materials we save each year from the landfill.
The Senior Adult Program added four new classes to our schedule this week including Memory Games, Personal Hygiene and Self Care, Current Events, and Sit and Be Fit. Our participants are enjoying the classes and our staff members are working with homes and families to determine if there are any computer or tablet needs that if addressed will help them get their residents connected. These efforts are leading to more participant class participation each week. Our direct service staff members are becoming more involved as teachers or co-teachers of the classes and they are enjoying the alternative format that continues to connect us together. Additionally, our Senior Companion Volunteer joined our online classes this week and our participants were very excited to re-connect with her.
Group Supported Employment staff members have begun the process of returning to work in the community in an effort to maintain contracts for those individuals we serve. Staff members on our Mobile Landscaping and Friedman Home Improvement work crews have returned on a limited schedule. We will evaluate other contract opportunities in the coming weeks to determine if a limited return is possible at other locations. All participants in Group Supported Employment are currently staying home. Weekly meetings are being held with both staff members and participants to ensure communication and support.
Individual and Group Supported Employment are participating in online classes through our Adult Day Programs. Our staff members are attending the classes and helping our participants to do so as well. Supported Employment is planning to offer two classes that focus on establishing employment in the community and general safety. These classes will be available to all our Adult Day Programs. Our Individual Supported Employment Job Coaches are continuing to support participants who work in essential industries at job sites or work in essential industries at home.
