But what does surprise me, is that I’ve never experienced so many people being so open to emotional self-care. Maybe it’s the lack of socializing, sports, live music or great restaurants to check out or talk about. But it’s as if the Pandemic has created a wakeup call for thinking about what we are thinking about.  Maybe this is the silver lining we have been looking for – we have the opportunity to focus on emotional hygiene – “taking care of our emotions, our minds, with the same diligence we take care of our bodies”, says Guy Winch.

Now, let me clarify:  I’m just talking about emotional health. Mental health may include serious diagnosed conditions such as clinical depression or generalized anxiety disorder. In contrast, emotional health refers to everyday experiences that impact our psychological well-being and our ability to function at our best. Common examples are loneliness, rejection, or feeling irritable, grouchy, anxious or disappointed.

Well-accredited doctors tell us that the following cause-and-effect scenarios can happen to any of us:

• Our executive functioning can be impaired by loneliness.
• Decision-making can be impacted by too much time spent worrying, or in deep philosophical ruminations about life and humanity.
• Communications with friends can become exasperating when we are frustrated.
• Attention and concentration can be compromised by anxiety.
• Motivation and productivity can be obstructed by depression.

So, if it doesn’t take a diagnosed mental health disorder to disturb our emotional health and function, imagine what it must be like for people who have special needs? What if all of these things I mentioned above are happening at once?

One thing I’ve learned is that we can’t help anybody else if we aren’t taking care of ourselves first.  So, here is what I’m thinking about…how can I use this time to:

1) Develop and improve my psychological self-care?

2) Expand my acquisition of daily habits that maintain and enhance my emotional health?

3) Decide what I put in my emotional care first aid kit?

4) Contemplate how can I thrive, not just survive?

5) Figure out how I can inspire and encourage others so that they can thrive?

Worst-case scenario, pondering these questions will at least keep my mind focused on the good, the positive, and the things that can change the world around me.

Until next time,

Steve

Credits:

This blog’s title was Inspired from Zig Ziegler, and some of the content from

“The Pandemic Created a Watershed Moment for Emotional Health”, by Guy Winch.

The post A Self Check-up From the Neck Up appeared first on CreateAbility Inc.

After an introduction to Autism, this training spanned communication technologies, social and cognitive supports, an in-depth look at sensory processing, and wrapped up with demos of video modeling tools.

In case you missed it, you can view some of these presentations at:
http://www.eastersealstech.com/fulldayarchives/

In case you would like more information on our products, here are some overviews and YouTube links on CreateAbility’s evidence-based research and products that help people with Autism and their families.

1. Coordinating care and improving communication between the family and care team

BEAM

BEAM helps the many people involved in taking care of an individual by helping coordinate resources and then aid in communicating within this team.

A simple dashboard provides a quick summary of an individual’s status, and highlights the items still needing to be addressed.

BEAM is a web-based tool that can be used by any device that runs a web browser, and can be used in group homes, assisted living or independent living centers, homes, or in vocational settings.

BEAM uses a freemium model, where many useful features are provided free, and additional features are provided for a modest fee.

2. Talking Pictures To-Do List, with Video Modeling

MeMinder

MeMinder is an app that currently runs on Android phones and tablets to coordinate caregiving and provide task management. The MeMinder app works with CreateAbility’s BEAM Cloud to help people with the right permissions to monitor what tasks were completed and the ability to modify the tasks and schedules. These changes are then automatically updated on the MeMinder app. The goal is to help reduce the effort required by the care team in creating and managing the individual’s activities and how to do them.

MeMinder is a talking pictures to-do list that helps people with memory and sequencing challenges.  Each step in the sequence of reminders can be static images with audio instruction, or full video.

The MeMinder app runs on Android phones and tablets to coordinate caregiving and provide task management.  The MeMinder app works with CreateAbility’s  Cloud to help people with the right permissions to set schedules and tasks, monitor what tasks were completed and the ability to modify the tasks and schedules, and coordinate with the other stakeholders in the person-centerer plan.  Changes made in the cloud are automatically updated on the MeMinder app.
Intro to MeMinder  –

3. Remote Monitoring and In-Home Prompting and Remider System

Independence Builder

Independence Builder helps individuals with intellectual disabilities or people with developmental delays, such as: Autism, Fragile X, or Down syndrome to live as independently as possible. The system provides natural supports by validating certain tasks and activities have taken place by a specific time. The system provides respectful prompts and reminders if these tasks or activities were not performed. Examples in the video include medication, safe kitchen activity, and other typical activities of daily living. Independence Builder now includes control of the home via Amazon Echo.

Product video with testimonial:

4. Behavioral Health Supports Between Therapy Sessions

Affectus

Affectus is a system that helps consumers with an Intellectual Disability, who also have behavioral or mental health issues. The system automatically detects yelling, the slamming of doors, the pounding on walls, as well as a self-report button being pressed.

This triggers prompting the individual to rate their emotion level, and then guides the consumer through the Skills System coping mechanisms.  The result is that the individual returns to a calmer state, more quickly.

Intro to Affectus video:

Mobile Avatar Coach

The goal of this demonstration of our new Mobile Avatar Coach is to illustrate how mobile technology can help people who are also receiving behavioral health services between therapy sessions. Because this method is available whenever / wherever, it provides the individual the opportunity to practice and fill in between sessions, and helps keep them from losing what they learned (again, only to be used in the context of therapy).

CreateAbility’s Mobile Avatar Coach, is a type of “conversational agent” that have been shown to help people to share experiences they don’t want to talk about with another person,” and thus encourage more patient honesty. CreateAbility believes that this should only to be used in the context of therapy.

The following YouTube link is a screen recording while “Jeff” makes selections. A variety of Avatars and voices will be available soon, and the content will be customizable.

The post Assistive Technology for people with Autism appeared first on CreateAbility Inc.