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Home Visiting Highlights - Easter Seal Midwest Home Visitation
Navigating Home Visiting during the COVID-19 Outbreak!
Inspiring Stories from Easter Seals Midwest Nurturing Parenting Program that show the important role that Home Visitors continue to play in encouraging and supporting families; especially during moments of crisis!
As one Home Visitor expressed, "We could be the only contact to the outside world that our families have at this time, and the only way that they are able to get their questions answered and get help through these situations."
Family #1 - In this multi-generational family Grandma is the primary caregiver. When the Home Visitor first started doing video visits with grandma it was apparent, from her body language and the look on her face, that she was not coping well with the Coronavirus restrictions regarding getting out of the house. She appeared close to tears and said things like she had “anxiety about going anywhere even outside in her own yard” and was feeling “cooped up”. She had witnessed someone in the grocery store reach in and grab an item off the shelf just as an elderly man was about to reach for it and said she actually started crying. She also said she was feeling “a little depressed.”
She started to relay a couple of stories about people she had helped with food or groceries during this time and she seemed to cheer up while talking about helping others. She shared some resources on how she has been able to get food delivered to her home from different agencies. The Home Visitor let her know how that information would really help other families because now the Home Visitor could pass those ideas onto other families in their program that don’t have transportation. The Home Visitor praised her and pointed out what a blessing she has been to others during this crisis. That is when grandma smiled for the first time! They talked about this for most of the visit.
The Home Visitor encouraged grandma to focus on the positive things that are happening during this time to make less room for the negative thoughts. They talked about keeping a gratitude journal and writing down 5 things she is grateful for every day. Before ending the visit, grandma looked into the video and gave two thumbs up while smiling. She simply said “thank you, you cheered me up today!”
Family #2 - During a video visit, mom started out the visit by saying they were doing “okay.” The Home Visitor asked her "with everything going on right now, what has changed most about your life. The mother mentioned that the buses were no longer running where she lived. The Home Visitor asked how their child was doing and what kinds of new foods he was eating. Mom said he was doing well, eating well and had plenty of food stocked up but that herself and dad were running low on groceries because the bus was no longer able to take her to the store. The Home Visitor made some suggestions of other ways to get to the store or to get groceries. Mom said she had the money for groceries but after watching everything in the news, she thought that no one was allowed to leave their house or go to the grocery store; so they were just trying to make it with what they had. The Home Visitor was able to let her know that it is ok to leave your house for essential reasons such as needing medical care or food. Mom was relieved to hear this as she had misinterpreted the stay at home order.
These are good examples of how home visitation remains a vital service for families! Home visitation continues to support families through video and telephone visits during this crisis.
She started to relay a couple of stories about people she had helped with food or groceries during this time and she seemed to cheer up while talking about helping others. She shared some resources on how she has been able to get food delivered to her home from different agencies. The Home Visitor let her know how that information would really help other families because now the Home Visitor could pass those ideas onto other families in their program that don’t have transportation. The Home Visitor praised her and pointed out what a blessing she has been to others during this crisis. That is when grandma smiled for the first time! They talked about this for most of the visit.
The Home Visitor encouraged grandma to focus on the positive things that are happening during this time to make less room for the negative thoughts. They talked about keeping a gratitude journal and writing down 5 things she is grateful for every day. Before ending the visit, grandma looked into the video and gave two thumbs up while smiling. She simply said “thank you, you cheered me up today!”
Family #2 - During a video visit, mom started out the visit by saying they were doing “okay.” The Home Visitor asked her "with everything going on right now, what has changed most about your life. The mother mentioned that the buses were no longer running where she lived. The Home Visitor asked how their child was doing and what kinds of new foods he was eating. Mom said he was doing well, eating well and had plenty of food stocked up but that herself and dad were running low on groceries because the bus was no longer able to take her to the store. The Home Visitor made some suggestions of other ways to get to the store or to get groceries. Mom said she had the money for groceries but after watching everything in the news, she thought that no one was allowed to leave their house or go to the grocery store; so they were just trying to make it with what they had. The Home Visitor was able to let her know that it is ok to leave your house for essential reasons such as needing medical care or food. Mom was relieved to hear this as she had misinterpreted the stay at home order.
These are good examples of how home visitation remains a vital service for families! Home visitation continues to support families through video and telephone visits during this crisis.
Stories from Home Visiting Families
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Promise 1000 partners with The Family Conservancy to provide
Moving Beyond Depression™ specifically to interested mothers participating in Promise 1000 home visiting who also struggle with depression.
Mothers receive the in-home therapy that they need to be healthy for themselves and their families!
http://www.movingbeyonddepression.org/
Promise 1000 - Moving Beyond Depression™ program is funded by United Way of Greater Kansas City and The Jackson County Community Children's Services Fund
Experiences in Moving Beyond Depression™
LaMisha's story of overcoming postpartum depression
utilizing Moving Beyond Depression™ through Promise 1000.
https://www.thefamilyconservancy.org/kansas-city-charity-for-children/
The Impact of Moving Beyond Depression from a Home Visitor's Perspective
-Showing the partnership between the mother, home visitor, and Moving Beyond Depression-
-Showing the partnership between the mother, home visitor, and Moving Beyond Depression-
"One of the mothers that engaged in the Moving Beyond Depression (MBD) program wanted to share the mirror she received upon completion of the program with the other members in her Women's Group.
The home visitor stated that it was a powerful moment for the entire group because many of the other women were also involved with the MBD program at different stages. This home visitor later went on to say that MBD really gave the mother the boost in parenting that she needed. She stated that initially she would have minimal to no communication with her son, and now she was talking and interacting with her son more than she ever had in the past. The home visitor stated that the support that MBD provides families and home visitors is invaluable."