Monday January 16: One of our guests attempted to beat the BA machine by sucking in instead of blowing into the machine. When she got tired she breathed out very hard and had a lot of spit. Bottom line she blew a .03 and was asked to leave. A former guest called to ask if we had found a small urn with her cats remains in it. We did not know that she even had an urn with her onsite. We began the process of guests having food in crates only.
Tuesday January 17: All rooms have crates to use for food at this point and are working to reduce the food and clutter in each room. All crates are labeled with the same letter that is on the bed as well as will be on the tubs that we switch to by the end of the week.
Wednesday January 18: Staff began working with anger management issues with our guests. A worksheet has been developed to help guide these conversations. This came from an accountability with a former guest who believes that all staff are idiots as well as the other guests. The guest worked on her anger management sheet and then came in on Saturday (1/21) to discuss it with staff and came back in. Shelter guests, volunteers and staff began shoveling out the parking lot as well as the sidewalks around the shelter. With the snow continuing to fall throughout the day it was difficult to keep up with it but the ladies did super!
Thursday January 19: Two of our guests who have been verbally abusive to each other made up and seem to be on the right track for now. Only one day left to the switch from the guests being able to bring any and all worldly belongings (except weapons, drugs or alcohol) to just what they can fit into a 30 gallon bin. Most of the bins are in and the ladies are making progress. Adjustments are being made for example, one coat per person may hang in the closet.
Friday January 20: UGM Thrift picked up most of the usable dressers. Since all of the bins did not arrive not all rooms are on line yet, however most are on line with the new policy.
Weekend: We have many mentally ill guests and we are being challenged to help other guests feel more comfortable with that fact. Some of the ladies come here anxious so those that talk to themselves or show any other behaviors that seem strange means that staff must spend more time comforting them. We had a guest who was depressed because she had gone to have an abortion earlier this week. She was filled with guilt as she told us what had happened.
General comments: We got our basement back Friday afternoon and are working to reset it up for use as storage again. It will be nice to have our space back next week!
A. What are the guests doing with all their stuff that they can't store in their rooms?!
ReplyDeleteB. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BASEMENT?!