Monthly Family Meetings Support Emotional and Physical Health of Caregivers and Clients
Juggling work, home-schooling and childcare has been a struggle for most families since the state shut down in March due to COVID-19. Parents of adult children with special needs have faced great adversity as they lost vital day and employment programs. To keep the 3,000 adults with disabilities served by Ability Beyond engaged and connected, the nonprofit organization has been providing virtual day programs for the people it serves, and is now launching “Caring for the Caregiver”, a series of virtual family meetings that will support the mental, emotional and physical needs of all family members.
“Many of the families we support rely on our programs 365 days a year,” said Jane Davis, President and CEO of Ability Beyond. “Although we are currently serving 460 people in our residential homes, the suspension of day and employment programs has meant that most of our families have had to figure out how to continue working and managing their days, while also providing the often challenging physical, mental, social and other supports that their adult children need.”
The new monthly series kicks off on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 7:00 P.M. EST with “Yoga for All”. Davis will provide a quick intro to the series followed by a free 45-minute stress-reducing movement class led by Heather Morgado. Morgado is the owner of YogaSpace in Bethel, as well as the Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement at Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield.
The class is adaptable for anyone with mobility constraints and will incorporate healing breathing and relaxation techniques.
“The sessions were designed for family caregivers, the individuals we serve, along with Ability Beyond staff and Board members; however, we are excited to invite all families and individuals not served by Ability Beyond to participate in this valuable program as well,” adds Davis.
Davis further explains that the series was created to reduce the incredible pressure placed on families by the abrupt loss of services. “Our families have been so supportive and flexible throughout this pandemic. We understand the stresses they have been under and hope our new series helps to ease that a bit.”
Ability Beyond has been supporting families throughout the pandemic with virtual weekly meetings that provide updates on the latest developments at the non-profit organization and its COVID-19 response plan. A Q&A session via the Zoom Chat feature addresses concerns following each presentation.
“We are grateful to Heather and Yoga Space for offering this class and helping us bring our Ability Beyond and regional communities together,” concludes Davis.
Ability Beyond is a 501{c} (3) organization headquartered in Bethel, Conn. and Chappaqua, N.Y. It provides a wide range of services for over 3,000 people with a disability that inhibits their activities of daily living -- including numerous residential alternatives, employment training, career counseling, job placement services, cognitive and life skills instruction, clinical and therapeutic support, and volunteer and recreational activities. Today, its services extend far beyond the Danbury community throughout Connecticut and the Hudson Valley, New York. For more information about Ability Beyond go to www.abilitybeyond.org.