Many group home residents don’t have family involved in their lives. So during the holidays, they don’t have family to celebrate with. Most of the year it may not be noticeable to group home residents that they don’t have family, but at holidays it stands out as they hear of others making plans and see the commercials on TV and the decorations in the stores.
Group home support staff should not fill in as family. It can be nice to include group home residents in their family celebration (per permission from guardian and group home service provider), but it shouldn’t be the only holiday celebration that the group home residents participate in. The reason is that when the group home support staff leaves, the resident often goes through a similar grieving process as loosing a family member. Even lower functioning residents will feel a loss even if they can’t express it verbally. Often the feeling of loss will be expressed with acting out and unacceptable behaviors. Traditions with other group homes are much more stable since the group home service provider is and the residents in the group homes are fairly consistent, unlike group home support staff.
Most service providers provide a holiday parties for their residents. These are usually fun for the staff and residents. They do lack a family feel to them. Two to four group homes can get together an create their own “family group” and create traditions for the holidays to give the group home residents a sense of family around the holidays.
Here are some group home traditions suggestions:
GIFT EXCHANGE:
Most group home residents are allowed some extra money around Christmas. Have a group of residents put their names in a jar and then pick out a name to buy gifts for. This can be done at Thanksgiving. This allows the residents to enjoy a shopping experience and the joy of giving.
For teen group home residents or other residents that enjoy the “Santa” experience. Half the money can be used to make sure there is a gift from Santa under the tree in the morning and the other half can go for the exchange.
Some residents may not have money for Christmas gifts and some group home service providers will donate money for the group home residents. Even five or ten dollars can provide some usable gifts from the local dollar store.
Be sure the receipts go to the group home manager of the resident who the gifts are bought FOR. In the event of an audit, that group home will be responsible to show what that residents money is spent on.
HOLIDAY MEAL
When deciding which group home in the family group will host the holiday meal, it can be done by the house that is the biggest and can accommodate a large group, rotating group homes, or each house has their own holiday that they host (one house always has Christmas, another house always has Thanksgiving, etc).
The holiday meal can include traditional foods for the holiday in addition to cultural dishes that represent the residents. The host home should have the main course (Turkey, ham, etc.) when doing a potluck. If one home will provide the entire meal, the cost should be split up among all the homes in the family group of group homes.
Let the residents get together for a movie night or at the park and plan the menu.
Often early afternoon meals work best. The group home residents may have difficulties waiting for an evening meal and be more tired. Less behaviors occur with early afternoon meals. Residents should have their usual breakfast and have the holiday meal around lunch time. This will also give time for residents to wind down before beginning their evening routine before going to bed.
DECORATIONS
Homemade decorations and decorations from the dollar store can create a festive atmosphere for group homes. When funds are limited, focus on what is seen from the front door of the group home. It is that first impression from the front door that give a group home the feeling of being a home and not just another house. It may be where the group home support staff work, but it is primarily the group home residents HOME.
Keep in mind the uniqueness of the residents in the home and always consider safety and durability of the the decorations that are used.
Have a box or inexpensive plastic box to store decorations in. Adding a few new decorations each year will provide for a nice collection of decorations for a group home. Clearly mark the boxes and store them in the order that the holidays occur to locate easily.
HOUSE LOG
For group homes that have a house log in addition to their site log, the traditions should be included. The holiday traditions for the home in addition to the holiday traditions for the group home family group should be include. Each residents favorite holiday foods and traditions can be included. Traditions can be lost with group home support staff changes and group home manager changes.
Group house support staff should not try to be group home resident’s family because when staff changes a resident could feel like they not only lost a staff but part of their family. Creating group home family groups gives the group home residents a family experience that many of them miss out on.
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