Hopefully you watched, Making A Best Life Tree, our Transition Tuesdays with Jane and Joe You Tube video about using a holiday tree to make discussions about transition FUN.
Here is the Best Life Wish List
Best Life Wish List
- Applied for or received an identification card
- Considered Guardianship or Power of Attorney options
- Applied for or are receiving Social Security
- Applied for or are receiving the Georgia Medicaid Waiver (NOW or COMP)
- Developed a financial plan or special needs trust
- Identified post secondary education programs, Voc Rehab, Employment or Day Services programs
- Considered housing options
- Identified social/recreational activities
- Identified healthcare providers, obtained insurance
- Created a system to keep up with medical and services program rec oords
- Created a support system of friends, family and community
- Created meaningful plans for graduation and post secondary transition
This is not an absolute list, but it is a place to get you started, no matter the age or ability level of your loved one with a developmental disability.
Here is an opportunity for you to have some real conversations about the future.
Maybe it won’t make you feel as overwhelmed if you are doing something fun together. Because you know what… you’ve got this!!! Really, you are always moving forward every day. If you feel stuck, just pick one thing you want to do… maybe make the tree as your one thing, then… get keep watching and we’ll help you PLAN (Prioritize, Learn, Assess and Navigate).
Three Steps to Making Your Best Life Tree
1. Finding the Materials for your project
I got the ornaments at a yard sale and the tree was something I bought after the holiday season last year for $1.
After I set up the tree, I talked to Joe about what we were going to do. I asked him if he would like to help me decorate the tree and while we were doing that I said, “This is your Best Life Tree, it is all about the things you have accomplished since you finished school. Then we just started talking about all the areas of Joe’s life where he has made progress.
2. Use the Best Life Wish List as your guide
Start with browsing the list and determining which ornaments represent the things on the list
Then talk about each ornament as you (or your person) decides where the ornament should go… maybe even talk about why it belongs there.
If you don’t have a lot of things on the wish list done, DON’T BE DISCOURAGED.
Think about where you want to be, not where you came from. Being the caregiver of someone is hard. There are so many pieces and parts. Just have some fun and dream.
3. Dream and Imagine You Are Already Living Your Best Life
This is a great opportunity to dream about having those things done. Each ornament becomes something you want to do. Maybe do 12 one for each month of the year? There ‘s lots of ways to do this.
This process is all about making a good life a way of celebrating!
Enjoy!
Got a question? Reach out to Joe and me: transitiontues@gmail.com
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