Transitional living programs offer individuals the opportunity to practice skills and prepare for future independence. These programs also enable families and service providers to assess an individual’s routines and activities to determine what natural supports need to be in place for community living.
Who can benefit?
Individuals who are transitioning away from large, congregate care settings with direct care staff and who prioritize moving into a more independent setting
Individuals transitioning from youth to adulthood who prioritize living on their own
Individuals who have never lived outside the family home, whose parents are aging
What results can we expect?
Enable “dignity of risk,” creating opportunities for individuals to learn, make mistakes, and succeed in a supported environment
Incorporate technology as another resource in the continuum of care, so that more individuals can access community supported living options
Provide peace of mind without a 24/7 staff presence by pairing technology with caregiver support
Promoting proactive rather than reactive caregiver and staff responses through the observation of data and trends
What technology can help?
A SimplyHome System (if alerts or custom prompts are desired)
Environmental Controls (touch, switch, or voice controls to manage the home environment)
Medication Dispensers (for medication adherence, can send alerts also)
Personal Emergency Response System (to obtain caregiver or emergency assistance with the press of a button)
A Ring Video Doorbell (to facilitate greater residential safety and awareness)
What types of prompts and alerts can be set up?
The remote support system can prompt individuals to become more independent with taking medication, meal preparation, and daily routines such as personal hygiene and chores.
Alerts can be generated when:
Daily routines such as cooking, going to work, completing chores, etc., are not being completed
There are behavioral concerns such as elopement, wandering, compulsive eating patterns, or difficulties with personal hygiene
Using technology, individuals in transitional living settings gradually gain independent living skills and need less intensive, less continuous staff support.
Transition to Home: Laura and Vicki's Story
One of our providers designed the Jones Street Transition Home to prepare individuals to move into supported community living settings. For 8-10 months at a time, 2-3 women live in Jones Street and learn the skills they will need to move out on their own. With the use of smart sensor technology and medication dispensers, the individuals gradually learn the next steps to independence, such as cooking their own meals, taking medication, and learning safety skills.
During this time, staffing patterns also change based on an increased level of independence. As time passes, staff gradually spend less time there, relying on sensor-based technology to be a primary natural support. When the residents complete the program and move into their own homes, the same technology supports become part of their natural support system.
