SHC is a service provided to any participant attending THH during their scheduled time. We provide a range of opportunities in the home and community settings.  Although the funded service often indicates "assistance" needed to meet daily living needs to assure adequate functioning and safe access to the community, our mission is to look for every opportunity to teach and not just cue or prompt these individuals through activities they encounter throughout their day.  At this time we are excited to share that our customized daily schedules includes things such as gardening, cooking, exercise, setting the table, cleaning, hygiene practice, simple home repair, chores, hikes, simple woodworking, scrap booking, music exploration, relaxation, learning new board/table games and functional academics to name a few. The professional backgrounds of our staff  allows us to plan activities and curriculum to meet specific learning or physical needs of each participant for effective intervention. 

DLS training services provide education and skill development to improve the participant's level of independence in their ability to perform routine daily activities and effectively access and utilize community resources. This is INSTRUCTIONAL and not simply engaging or performing in daily tasks.  DLS can be included in the participant's service plan and is provided on an individual basis.  Each participant's number of hours of DLS per day/week is determined from discussion with the participant, the consultant and family to  determine the priorities for DLS instruction. Since we have OT, Social Work and Special Education teachers on staff we feel strongly that our approaches to set goals and develop curriculum and activities to optimize progress has been very effective. DLS training includes tasks related to personal hygiene, reading, physical/motor development, functional math/money management, time management, household cleaning and maintenance (indoor/outdoor),  self advocacy, preparation to get a job or move into supported living, etc. . Basically all activities that we engage in under Supportive Home Care can be a priority goal for a participant and be provided with direct instruction  under DLS. 

There is not a specific service category for social skills but we have found many goals are needed in this area and can be included under SHC or DLS services. The THH staff makes it a priority to encourage and faciliate our participants communicate and socialize with all other THH participants and staff members.  We have a strong belief to expect and teach respectful treatment of their own self and others.  We cannot anticipate their living situations in the future and we desire to optimize their abilities to get along with others. Greeting each other, inquiring about others' day and their families, recognizing stress, sadness and needs in others, learning about their likes and dislikes,  appropriately celebrating success or handling failure, all help to build relationships and friendship that can last a lifetime.  Our group discussions teach participants about themselves, their world and our social-emotional well being. We use video, humor, role-playing and demonstration, and even worksheet activities to deliver this instruction to a variety of learners.  Being in a home setting is what seems to help bring opportunities for addressing social issues as they naturally occur as they do in families or with roommates.  

THH is working hard to be part of the Mukwonago & East Troy communities, where we are located.  We not only visit many of the local restaurants and shopping venues each week, but we also volunteer our group's time to local businesses, schools, churches.  This provides exposure to different job environments, community connections and resources in the community    We are always looking to expand our reach in the community.  We occasionally will visit the local police or fire station with a well-deserved treat. We hope to someday be located in a neighborhood so we can truly teach how to be a good neighbor to these young adults.  We also strive to engage our participants in healthy life styles so going on hikes, exercising at the YMCA, and occasionally such activities as Adaptive Rock Climbing and Trampoline parks have a major focus weekly.  Outings such as Bingo, library programs, attending high school sports or drama events also are to be noted. We base our activities on the "voices" of our participants. 

Many of the events and activities planned at THH serve a dual purpose to not only expose participants to many different aspects of life but also to possibly spur long-term vocational interest for them.  Whether it is cleaning the local day care, attending a music festival featuring an autistic artist, or going to a local farm to learn about horticulture,  these experiences are an invaluable part of our scheduling.  If an individual expresses interest to work at any of these places or in this area of vocation, we will help continue this conversation with all significant persons on their teams (parents, guardians, teachers, consultants, themselves).  Again, with considering the professional backgrounds of THH staff, we feel we have a strong base of skills in instruction, task analysis, adapting and fostering independence.  This is why we will continue to look for ways to build our efforts for job exploration and coaching.  

We provide transportation at a reasonable and competitive cost as long as it does not disrupt specific individualized programming.  Seniors on the Go has also been transporting individuals to our Farmhouse and this is certainly a trusted option for families as well. Unfortunately, at this time, our home is not handicapped accessible and individuals need to have adequate ambulation skills to attend. Our hope is that we can provide this accessibility in the near future and are exploring our options. During a given day we have the option to transport participants to all areas within our community and surrounding communities.  We are not a "one size fits all" and we believe that not everyone wants to or desires to go to a coffee shop or a dog rescue and we keep this in mind when scheduling.  We may offer alternative options for participants that more closely meet their needs, goals or desires.