Summer transitions can be tough. Make sure your agency is completely prepared by creating a plan to address these key areas.

What to focus on during the summer

Emotional needs

Some individuals struggle with change, especially those with intellectual disabilities. For this reason, it might be a good idea to start preparing these individuals early.

For example, your agency may provide services to an individual that is particularly attached to a certain caregiver. If that caregiver is not going to be available during the summer, that individual should be informed about the change as early as possible.

Burnout

Many people associate summertime with a relaxed and carefree attitude. Is your organization prepared for that? What happens if your employees bring that attitude to work with them? If management adopts a laissez-faire leadership strategy during the summer, your direct support professionals may be forced to pick up the slack. If your direct support professionals become more relaxed during the summer, management may eventually have a crisis on their plate. Both of these scenarios can cause burnout– the latter may also inadvertently put the individuals you’re serving in harm’s way. However, burnout doesn’t only happen in employees. It can affect the individuals being served as well. If the individuals become more relaxed, their stress threshold may change, causing more meltdowns and relational conflicts. Creating and communicating clear expectations may help fix this. It may also help to pencil in additional training sessions or make upper management available for one-on-ones.

Scheduling changes

If your organization’s schedule changes drastically for the summer, your employees may struggle to keep up with it. Is there an easy way for employees to view their schedule? Can they view their schedule on the go? Or can they only access their portal through a specific desktop computer at your Day Services Center? To request vacation time/ pick up empty shifts? Do you have a communication method that is both HIPAA-compliant AND easy to use in case an employee misses a shift? Check out our scheduling tips for summer.

Budgeting challenges

A new season may mean new activities. Do you have a way to empower management to purchase new supplies? What about track the authorizations for new individuals receiving services?

Need help getting your agency ready for the summer? Use DCI’s scheduling module to manage caregiver visits and arrange fun summertime activities. To hear more about the many benefits of DCI, request a demo!