Ramon was not able to make it today. The weather was, however, too nice to cancel class. So we did a few laps around the park and then an abbreviated Qigong class. It was heartening to see 3-4 different clients take turns walking up in front of the class, demonstrating a remembered Qigong move, and then the whole class trying it out. Shows the material is sinking in.
– Michael
I caught myself wanting to control the agenda today — and that’s when I realized we are getting it right.
During morning meeting one of our clients decided to sing happy birthday at the wrong spot in the meeting agenda to another client. Everyone immediately joined in. There was nothing awkward about this and it seemed appreciated by all. It simply flowed. This is when I realized that we are succeeding in building a community here — not just a treatment program.
Communities have a bit of a shared bond. People feel comfortable together in communities. When things happen spontaneously, somehow the many community members are not usually taken by surprise — there’s a shared feeling of right timing. That is what happened in morning meeting today.
A bit later in Qigong there was almost a sing-song effect going on as one client would suddenly say (or sing) a bit of something and another and another and another would spontaneously add onto it. Now this was supposedly a silent meditation/breathing section of the exercises but it didn’t matter. It flowed. No one was awkward or missed a beat. The class fell right back into the task at hand.
I was left affirmed in my realization that the community has gathered strength and is taking on a kind of group bond and shared sense of comfort. Hopefully we keep it up.
– Michael
I was pleased to see 11 clients show up for Qigong today in 90 degree weather. Actually — with shade and a breeze it was okay outside. I was surprised an overwhelming majority of clients voted to keep the class outside instead of opting for air conditioning. Ramon concentrated on techniques for quieting the mind and body and most everyone was able to maintain attention through the sequences of movements and breathing.
– Michael
On June 12th I had a chance to stop by the re-opening cookout hosted by Support Peer Independence Now (SPIN) — a drop-in center for people with mental health concerns in Aberdeen, MD.
SPIN has a nice facility and even nicer people. It’s a good set-up — they have several rooms for solitary or group activities so that everyone can gravitate to where they feel comfortable. There is a pool table, a library, a computer lab, a flat screen tv lounge, and a shaded backyard.
I enjoyed talking with community members, staffers including director Tiphany Johnson, and SPIN board members including Ilene Toller.
Thanks for the hotdog, the company, and a break before doing payroll later that afternoon.
We have a Key Point community member who regularly updates everyone on SPIN’s program activities. They host dances, evening, and weekend activities useful to our folks.
– Michael
by Liz Tutino
Grow It! Eat It! is an initiative developed by the Maryland Cooperative Extension to encourage people in Maryland to plant a vegetable garden. Harford PRP took the challenge and has just started their first community garden. The Cooperative Extension has been very helpful in teaching and giving advice about new gardens. The Master Gardeners of Harford County will make visits to a site to help new gardeners plan placement of their garden, suggest which plants should be grown and the placement of plants in the garden. They have many resources that have been utilized and they are available for any questions or help in solving problems such as bug infestation or fungus problems.
In mid-May ground was broken at a Key Point Residential house for the new garden. Manning a roto-tiller, staff and a client turned over the grass, added compost, and prepared the soil for three 4’ X 8’ vegetable plots. Clients planned the garden and then selected seeds and plants they wanted to grow. The plants in the garden include: onions, zucchini, cherry-tomatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, and bush beans. Twice a week the clients go to the garden to water and weed. A variety of clients take turns attending to the garden and all are hopeful for a successful crop.
Along with developing teamwork, the gardening has brought back happy memories for some clients who remember helping their parents or grandparents with a garden. Others are learning a new skill and leisure activity. Gardening is a great way to get exercise, go outside and watch things bloom and grow. Homemade salsa is just one of the treats we are hoping to have at the end of the growing season.
We’ve been slowly watching our gardening project grow. Slowly, I say, given the amazing frequency with which nature decides to rain on gardening days. Still, the project is slowly taking off with a small band of interested volunteers.
A few weeks ago a few staff members (Kevin, Liz, myself) and a muscular client with farming experience decided to break ground. We rented a rototiller at Home Depot and went to work churning up soil in the backyard. We spread fertilizer and topsoil. We dug and sweated.
Apparently watching gardens grow is interesting. Before we knew it (or asked for it) we had clients and next door neighbors coming over to watch and offer advice. A neighbor with a larger, better rototiller appeared and proved a blessing. Soon we had three small garden strips ready to go.
A few days later Liz launched an expedition to Walmart with clients to pick out plants. A few days after that Erin and Liz took the first class out to the garden location. Of the first class members, about half of the folks were members on walkers or crutches. Erin and Liz both came back beaming and reported everyone able to participate. One client attempted to plant upside down with the roots to the sky and soon learned some basic biology facts.
So we are off and running and will see how our gardening efforts develop!
During the Mental Illness/Substance Abuse (MISA) class on Thursday April 9th, we got into a great discussion about nicotine addiction. I was able to share my experience of when I quit smoking and the emotional changes I experienced. I explained to everyone that when I quit smoking I felt as though I had lost a best friend, and over half of the people participating in MISA that day shared similar experiences. This turned into a great discussion about the emotional ties we have to our addictions and what coping skills worked for everyone.
I really enjoy leading classes that allow me to share personal experiences. I feel by doing this it helps me connect better with the class participates and shows them that I do know where they are coming from and I do understand. I received many compliments and I gave positive feedback to everyone who shared and joined the class discussion. Over the next few weeks I will be transitioning out of the co-leader of MISA position and I am glad to have been apart of such a rewarding class.
– Erin
Looking for instructors in the Aberdeen area for Tai Chi and Qigong willing to consider running classes in our setting for staff and clients. There seem to be very few such instructors in Aberdeen and the instructor at the local senior center is too busy. Anyone have any leads for us?
– Michael
Well It has been a very exciting week in Food & Nutrition Class. Once again we embarked on a topic that captivated the class and raised a lot of questions. We have been talking about a little known mental disorder called SAD — also know as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It seems that during the winter months with shorter days and lack of sunlight a lot more people become mildly depressed. But for those suffering with SAD, the winter months can be devastating. We learned that our bodies take in the sunlight with certain UVA & UVB rays and transform them into a much needed vitamin that has shown significant improvement in the treatment of SAD. And that vitamin is… Vitamin D. Yes, good old vitamin D. It is in some foods but most of the time vitamin D is fortified into many products. Below is a web site article that I found from the Vitamin D Council that explains the significance of sunlight and vitamin D together and how these effect those suffering with the symptoms of SAD. Enjoy.
Sonya Myers (Program Director, Dundalk & Catonsville PRPs) and myself both attended a program advisory committee meeting this morning at CCBC Essex for the mental health associates program.
We’ve been largely pleased with the interns and employees we get from their program. Trevon Cumberbatch is a current intern at the Aberdeen site doing a bang-up job helping teach the nutrition class and provide 1-on-1 help in the exercise room.
The purpose of the meeting was to solicit improvement suggestions for the curriculum. Here are some of the areas that attendees expressed a desire for improvements in — many as the result of shifting needs in our population:
Other presentation topics included efforts to design and implement articulation and transfer agreements between high schools, CCBC, and 4-year institutions. In this way it would be easier for students to pursue degrees and careers in mental health.
It was a useful meeting — I’m happy to be included on tuning the training programs that supply our workforce.
– Michael
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