Page 64 - Vibrant Living Scrapbook

Family Involvement – Feeling At Home
Some family members initiate activities with their relative householder, some don’t. Some interact with other, non-relative householders, some don’t. Certainly it depends on both the family member and the resident. But, what ideas do you have for giving them a little help? Visitors so often are at a loss as to what to do – even the spouse who comes every day runs out of things to say. What a great opportunity for us! The Household Model gives us the means to offer them more options than ever before.
Community Learning Circle Questions
Tell the story of the two daughters planning a party for the household*
Family members become part of the household “family.” As they begin to relax in this homey place, they move into a new phase with their loved one. Instead of worrying, advocating and fighting for their mom or dad in a toxic institutional setting, they find themselves in the midst of a pleasant household life. It feels like home. It is home. Mom shapes her life there and her personality is not only obvious but she’s changed the way the house runs! It feels like she’s always lived there.
This spirit is particularly evident in the story of two women who met and became friends while visiting their respective mothers at a Bigfork Valley household. The four of them had great times together and the women were as much
a part of the household as their mothers. On one occasion, they joined forces and planned
a party together for everyone living in the household. It was a party to remember. They went out grocery shopping, brought their supplies back to the household kitchen and prepared everything - including the biggest hit: the mimosas!
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