JAN'S GROUP HOME SUPPORT

There is a balance between having an organized group home and a home that is uncomfortable because residents can’t relax in because they are nervous about messing something up.

First remember that a group home is a HOME first and a place of business second.

To help group home residents know where things go after use your can provide the following:

• Photographs and/or lists of what goes in a cabinet (use the inside of the cabinet door), inside containers, on laundry room shelves, cleaning closets, shelves, etc. If the picture or list can be posted discreetly do so. If not have a book that the group home resident can refer to.

• Have the residents have their own personal care basket with a handle or bag to keep their things in. This is important for sanitary reasons and for financial reasons.

• Have the group home support staff model appropriate organization.

• Organize the group home residents rooms and closets.

• Create routines of getting activity supplies, games, clothes, etc that include keeping things organized. The repetition will help group home residents develop organization skills so they will not need constant prompting.

• Get rid of clutter. Things that aren’t used or their are duplicates of can be given to other group homes that may need the item. It is easier to stay organized if their isn’t a lot of unused stuff to constantly put away.

• Have a shelf or closet for paperwork to be secured and organized. Paperwork will be more likely accurately filled out if organized and easy to find. Use notebooks to organize paperwork so that it is all together for the group home staff to fill out.

Once a group home is organized, if everyone spends a few minutes a shift to keep it organized, there will be less times searching for things and cleaning up messes. Organized group homes allow for more time to spend with the residents.

Often microwaves in group homes become very dirty. Sometimes it is because staff isn’t doing their job. Other times it is because a group home resident may have a behavior or have other need that the staff must attend to. Staff may become distracted and forget about the mess in the microwave. Other times residents use the microwave and don’t let staff know that there is a mess in the microwave and isn’t discovered until it is dried on and difficult to clean.

Here is a video that shows how to clean a microwave.

Group homes should not only look clean, but also smell clean. To remove odors from the home, here is a video with some tips on cleaning to track down odors in the group home and clean them.

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