The transitional program offered through the Cheshire Homes Society focuses on assessment, goal planning, and development and follow through in a safe, supportive setting.

The Functional Skills Assessment that we use offers a battery of practical tests designed and refined over many years by the staff of Cheshire Homes Society. This test assesses the following areas:

• Orientation: Person, place, general knowledge/safety, mobility and transportation
• Physical: Injuries, range of motion, co ordination, fitness, ambulation, speech
• Sensory and Perceptual: Touch, sight/vision, taste, auditory, smell
• Life Skills, Budgeting and Money Handling: Hygiene, shopping/cooking, kitchen/room management, laundry, money handling and bank skills, problem solving, reading, writing
• Cognitive: Long and short-term memory (immediate, remote, delayed), learning ability (visual, auditory), distractibility
• Executive Functioning and Behaviour: Initiation/motivation, judgement, impulsivity, insight, behavioural issues, time management, social skills
• Conclusions and Recommendations: Summary of strengths and barriers, suggested program focus, independent living options

The tests assist in determining a resident’s functional, physical and cognitive status as well as safety issues in and outside of the home. The results of the Functional Skills Assessment coupled with observations made of the client’s behaviour form the basis of a report. The report identifies areas requiring focus and assists in determining future rehabilitation programming and housing options. Individualized service plans are developed from the report and ongoing team meetings held with involved parties. Frequent reviewing of goal plans ensure that each resident is being continually challenged and goal focussed.

Through out the transition process clients are accepted for who they once were, respected as the survivor they have become and offered support and encouragement to develop themselves as fully as possible. This is accomplished through the development of a positive therapeutic rapport that maximizes staff collaboration and client choice. Staff are trained specifically to recognize each clients’ needs and assist in following through on individual goals. Very often a client’s individual service plan will include the use of routine checklists, orientation checklists, behavioural reinforcement schedules (designed for errorless learning), and negotiated contracts.

Consequences for non-compliance in this and all our programs are either natural or negotiated, and are never arbitrarily imposed. It is our belief that all rehabilitation must be a matter of choice and only through collaboration can truly meaningful outcomes occur.

Our transitional program takes place at King Edward House.