Cota’s Acquired Brain Injury Adult Day Service (ABI ADS) Program located at the Providence Healthcare site, offers a supportive and creative group environment for adults living with Acquired Brain Injury. Clients select from a menu of unique daily program offerings that take place over a successive four-month terms. The program offerings encourage clients to engage in meaningful activities, explore strengths, and develop new/diverse skills.
Previous Food Offerings
Previously, ABI ADS offered a hot lunch to program participants on Wednesdays, while coffee and snacks were made available on other days of the week. During focus groups conducted in 2016, our clients had expressed an interest in having access to a free hot lunch program, every day of the week.
Some of our clients have a fixed income and it’s expensive to travel out to Providence Healthcare. Therefore, if the program provides improved food security, then it would eliminate that economic stress on our clients
New Food Program
As a result the ABI ADS team – Kristen, Indramattie (Pam), Jennie, and Robert – created plans to begin offing a five-day light meal program. Volunteers have been recruited to provide assistance with food preparation.
The program was implemented and began in January 2018. Pam and Kristen (full-time program staff) coordinate weekly food orders and pick-up dates and meals are prepared fresh onsite by a group of dedicated volunteers. Further, the menu on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday features four light options that are rotated weekly, and clients enrolled in the Wednesday drop-in program still receive a hot hearty meal.
I feel like the light lunch program helps clients to stay engaged with the activities for longer, increasing the impact and enjoyment of each session.
Jennie (Manager, Community Health) reports that the program budget is modest but the team is proud that they are able to make this happen and very thankful for the additional support of the volunteers.
Positive Feedback About the New Food Program:
By having food I have more energy, feel stronger and can concentrate better. I like the food and the portion is adequate
It sets up a different tone for the group and offers them a chance to socialize and do something in common together
Thanks to Cota for the delicious food they prepare. It shows quite clearly that for us they care
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