Calgary Alternative Support Services

Programs

• Residential Services
• Day Options
• Career Services

• Poss-Abilities
• Community Living
• Langin Place
• Money Matters

Creative Community Living Activities

What do we offer?

• A therapuetic day program for persons suffering from chronic mental illness.
• Programs are offered in a relaxed supportive and friendly atmosphere.
• Provide individuals an opportunity to learn basic living skills, crafts, socialization, leisure, healthy nutrition, and activity concepts.
• Individualized treatment plans, established in collaboration with follow-up worker and client.
• Ongoing assessment of mental and physical status.
• Registered Nurses monitor effectiveness of medication.
• Support and continuous liaison with workers to enrich client's care plan.
• Counselling in times of crisis.
• Socialization is promoted as an integral part of each group.
• Groups are offered to clients on an ongoing basis to meet their individual needs.

Who uses our services?

• People 30 years of age and older.
• People who have a history of long term psychiatric illness.
• Referred to be followed be a mental health worker and physician.
• People willing to learn but unable to tolerate the stress of employment.
• People requiring supervision and assessment with regard to effects of medication on activities of daily living.
• People requiring further support within the community to prevent future hospitalization.

Group Descriptions

• Teaches basic cooking skills.
• Utilizes low cost, nutritious and easy to prepare methods.
• Provides opportunities to learn daily living skills.

• Semi-structured atmosphere.
• Economical and useful projects.
• Client driven.

• Offers exposure to a variety of Calgary venues which are economical and accessible.
• Encourages independance in group planning.
• Teaches the importance of leisure and recreation for a healthy lifestyle.
• Promotes confidence for future independent leisure pursuits.

• Offers seniors with a chronic mental illness a place to meet that is supportive, intimate, and nonthreatening.
• Offers opportunities for socialization, outtings, and guest speakers with information pertinent to their lives.
• Clients must meet the following criteria for admission:
• Must be 55 years of age or older.
• Must have a worker and a Psychiatrist.
• Must be free of dementia and have the cognitive functioning to allow them to participate effectively in this group, and
• Must be prepared, with direct input, to help establish the groups format, as the group is client driven and changes on a regular basis to accomodate their needs.