Therapy in Action
* While we respect our clients’ privacy and do not share direct testimonials, we’re proud to share real stories.
Supporting Independence and Communication for
an Adult with an Intellectual Disability
Our son moved into a group home at 35 years old. We hoped he would gain more independence and confidence in his daily life. He had always needed support with routines, and social interactions, but we wanted him to feel capable, included, and engaged in his community.
At first, the transition was difficult. He struggled with following his daily schedule, interacting with staff and housemates, and managing his emotions. Small frustrations often led to big reactions, and instead of participating in activities, he would withdraw. We knew he had so much potential. We just needed guidance on how to help him build the skills to feel more independent.
The Challenges We Faced
Before therapy, our son:
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Had difficulty completing personal care routines without multiple reminders.
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Avoided group conversations, feeling unsure of what to say
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Struggled with following multi-step tasks, often needing assistance.
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Became overwhelmed easily, leading to frustration and outbursts.
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Hesitated to engage in new activities, preferring familiar routines.
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We wanted him to feel more independent and confident in his own life, rather than relying on staff for everything.
What Helped – A Therapy Plan That Worked for Our Family
Allied Therapy helped us create a personalized support plan that worked for him and his care team at the group home.
Speech-Language Therapy: A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) worked with him on conversation skills, helping him learn how to initiate conversations, take turns speaking, and ask for help when needed. They also introduced simple scripts and visual communication tools that boosted his confidence when talking to staff and housemates. The SLP worked with the staff to ensure they were asking for consent with each request they made and honouring his verbal and non-verbal communication. This reduced his stress significantly.