Independent Living Classes Take on Many Forms
Walton Options is known for a number of services that it provides to people with disabilities. One of it's primary services revolves around teaching people with disabilities skills that allow them to live independently with as little help as possible in their own home. This could include classes that range from housecleaning techniques to cooking to navigating public transportation services. But as we all know, life is more than just cooking and cleaning. That's why Walton Options may also hold special class sessions outside of the regular schedule.
Walton Options believes that recreation is a huge part of who people and strives to offer a variety of useful hobby classes to help people develop healthy recreational interests. For example, this past year Walton Options offered both a beginning and advanced sewing basics class to get people started on sewing. According to Independent Living Advocate Grace Harris, a few simple instructions gives a person the chance to learn mending techniques that help them mend their own clothing, saving a great deal of money by not throwing away otherwise perfectly good items. Students also learned how to make home items, such as aprons, curtains and pillows.
Kathy Pelletier, Assistive Technology Specialist, held a container gardening class for students where they used repurposing techniques to grow their own container gardens in recycled plastic tubs, buckets and other containers. The simple joy and relaxation from gardening as well as the satisfaction of growing their own food in a small, accessible space make this a popular class. As one student, who happened to be blind, put it, "How else could I have my very own garden? In a container, even I can plant and take care of my plants, and I'll enjoy harvesting my tomatoes and peppers very soon." Container gardening is especially easy and beneficial for people with mobility issues, as well as for the elder population.
Kinga Kiss Johnson, IL Advocate at our North Augusta, is interested in getting consumers familiar with the variety of adaptive sports available, and holds seminars and workshops about them. Les Paul Morgan, another IL Advocate, loves to help people enjoy the art of music, and travels to a variety of living centers and disability related events with his Karoake macine in tow! Laura Smith, our resident IL Advocate who also works elsewhere as an EMT, teaches health related courses such as CPR and courses on Shaken Baby Syndrome.
If you are interested in learning Walton Options overall class schedule, keep checking our calendar on our website. If you are in need of personalized Independent Living Skills classes, contact us at 706-724-6262 (GA) or 803-279-9611 (SC) to talk with an Independent Living Advocate.