COVID-19 Resources and Activities for Residential
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COVID-19 Resources and Activities for Residential Melissa D’Accordo, Ph.D. Curriculum & Training Specialist United Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State, Inc. d/b/a Constructive Partnerships Unlimited 2324 Forest Ave. Staten Island, NY 10303 [email protected] 1 Introduction The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has interrupted all of our lives in so many ways. We are all trying to stay healthy, balance work, homeschooling our children, keeping up with daily chores, staying informed with the latest COVID-19 facts and trying to find some type of normalcy. We are all experiencing a new stress in our day to day lives. The people we support in our residences are facing the same concerns. It is more important then ever to create an environment that provides safety and nurturing. We need to create a sense of normalcy and have set daily routines. Right now, there are a lot of unknowns, but together we will get through this. This resource guide is intended to be used as a resource in all of our residential settings. The content will help staff in supporting the people we support. It is important that we create some kind of daily routine (see Calendar/Weekly Schedule) so that there is a sense of normalcy during a time that is nothing but normal. Staff as well as the people we support will benefit from having a daily routine and meaningful activities to do daily. It will help pass time, get our minds off of the coronavirus and most of all provide the people we support with meaningful activities. Pick and choose which resources/activities apply to the people you support (I tried to include all of the different abilities that CP Unlimited supports). A special thank you to the staff who are going about their daily work routine and providing exceptional care to the people we support in our residences. Your dedication is truly appreciated. We will get through this together...if you want additional activities or need some guidance on how to implement activities or adapt activities, please feel free to email Melissa D’Accordo directly ([email protected]) or Ginny Zelhof ([email protected]). Many of us have children at home, so I have included additional resources at the end that can be used at home as well! STAY SAFE AND BE WELL! 2 Table of Contents Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with COVID-19........................Page 4 COVID-19 Information By and For People with Disabilities....................................Page 5 Hand Washing Chart.............................................................................................Page 13 Giving People Space Chart...................................................................................Page 14 Content Description Page.....................................................................................Page 15 FACE COVID.........................................................................................................Page 16 Calendar Template................................................................................................Page 17 Weekly Schedule Template...................................................................................Page 18 Inside and Outside Activities Choice Board...........................................................Page 19 Expression Activities..............................................................................................Page 20 Communication Tools............................................................................................Page 21 Tips for Creating Task Analysis.............................................................................Page 22 Make a Snack Task Analysis Example..................................................................Page 23 Unload a Dishwasher Task Analysis Example.......................................................Page 24 Task Analysis Template.........................................................................................Page 25 Video Chat APPS..................................................................................................Page 26 Calling with FaceTime...........................................................................................Page 27 Marco Polo for Video Chats...................................................................................Page 28 Daily Residential Activities.....................................................................................Page 29 Salt Dough Recipe................................................................................................Page 30 Website Links (coincide with activities page)........................................................Page 31 Additional Resources............................................................................................Page 32 Content in this Reference Guide has been abstracted from the following resources; Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute Green Mountain Self-Advocates The National Child Traumatic Stress Network 3 Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) At this time, information about COVID-19 is rapidly evolving as new details are con!rmed and new questions emerge. In the event of an outbreak in your community, as a parent/caregiver, your !rst concern is about how to protect and take care of your children and family. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce your stress and help calm likely anxieties. This resource will help you think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect your family—both physically and emotionally—and what you can do to help your family cope. What You Should Know Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus; this means it is a new strain that has not been previ- ously identi!ed in humans. COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that is mainly spread person-to-person. Currently, there is no available vaccine or curative treatment, so the best preventative strategy is to avoid exposure. So far, children appear to be much less affected by COVID-19, which was also seen after other coronavirus outbreaks. Children with pre-existing illnesses may have different risk, so you should discuss this with your child’s med- ical team. To reduce the spread of the virus, a variety of approaches will be used, including keeping those who are sick away from others and promoting healthy hygiene strategies. Additional recommendations for ways to contain the virus’s spread could include canceling of events that attract large numbers of people; closing schools, public transit or businesses; and required quarantine, which is the separation and restriction of movement of people who might have been exposed to the virus. READINESS Preparing your Family for a Potential Infectious Disease Outbreak Being prepared is one of the best ways to lessen the impact of an infectious disease outbreak like COVID-19 on your family. Here are some steps that you can take to be better prepared: Information & Communication Identify how you will keep up with the rapidly changing information on COVID-19. In rapidly changing health events and outbreaks such as COVID-19, there can be large amounts of in- correct or partially correct information that can add to your stress and confusion as a parent/caregiver. Identify a few trusted sources of health information. The NCTSN relied on the CDC resources to create this document. Get the most up-to-date and accurate information at: CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html CDC: information on children and COVID 2019: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/speci!c-groups/children-faq.html https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/ 2019-Novel-Coronavirus.aspx THE NATIONAL CHILD TRAUMATIC STRESS NETWORK www.NCTSN.org 1 4 COVID-19 Information By and For People with Disabilities What is COVID-19? x It is a new illness spreading around the world. x ,W¶VQLFNQDPHLV coronavirus. How do you get it? x Someone with COVID-19 gives you their germs. x When they cough or sneeze, their germs get in the air, on you, and on things. x Germs get into your body through your mouth, nose, and your eyes. What happens if you have it? A fever of 100.4° Hard time breathing or higher Coughing Green Mountain Self-Advocates www.gmsavt.org 1 5 If these things happen to you, it does not mean you have coronavirus. Lots of people get a fever or cough. You could just have a cold or the flu. If I am sick, when should I call a doctor? භ Call if you have been out of the country. භ Call if you have been with someone who has the virus. භ Call if you have been at a place where people with COVID-19 got medical treatment. Call your doctor, do not go to the office. How sick do you get? Ɣ Most people do not get very sick. It is like having a cold or the flu. Ɣ Some older people may get really sick. Some people with disabilities may end up in a hospital. Green Mountain Self-Advocates www.gmsavt.org 2 6 How can I stay healthy, or not get it? Wash your hands. භ Use lots of soap and water. භ Wash for at least 20 seconds. If it helps, count to 20. භ Wash after using the bathroom or being in public (like going to a store). භ If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer. Know that washing well with soap and water is still better. Cough or Sneeze into your elbow. Coughing and sneezing into your elbow stops germs from going into the air and onto your hands. Try not