COVID-19

No more hugs or visits from loved ones. A total disruption of daily activities. Housemates who left and will never come back. These are just a few of the difficult changes that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) supported by YAI are experiencing through the coronavirus pandemic.

A longstanding bilingual program at YAI’s Kew Gardens Day Hab in Queens has reinvented itself to better serve families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in need during the COVID-19 crisis. The program caters to native Spanish speakers, providing instruction on the use of English-based resources such as OPWDD online portals or immigration documents.

As Americans get used to thinking in terms of “essential” and “non-essential” roles, two members of YAI’s supported employment workforce have soldiered on through the COVID-19 crisis. Housemates Richard Clolery and Jordan Kraus live in a supported apartment in East Meadow, Long Island. They have stepped up to the challenges of the pandemic, providing essential services to people experiencing the stress of this public health emergency.

YAI's Direct Support Professionals are working around the clock to provide comfort and care for over 800 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) living in YAI residences. These programs are staffed 24/7 and often involve close contact with people with different physical, social and medical needs. #yainevercloses

Social stories can be used with adults and children; they are a tool to help provide directions and examples of appropriate ways to respond to social situations. The goal of a social story is to illustrate and clarify expectations while building skills such as coping and emotional regulation. Social stories provide framework and should serve as a clear example of expected behaviors. Social stories consist of directive sentences (sentences that tell a person what to do) and descriptive sentences (sentences describing the situation).

Navigating how to explain COVID-19 to someone with I/DD and the swift changes to everyday life can be overwhelming. At YAI, we believe that the people with I/DD should be treated with dignity, respect, and honesty. We recommend that caregivers take a calm and matter-of-fact approach to explain what COVID-19 is and how to prevent it.

During the COVID-19 emergency we want to help you find resources to assist during this challenging time. YAI LINK has gathered some important information and resources for families to access which are shared below. For additional information please feel free to call us at 212.273.6182 or email link [at] yai.org .