How Inlet Started

Inlet was the first program developed by CISS.  It’s been around since 1990 and has since become the “evolving program”.  As it was first developed to help deinstitutionalize people from Woodlands it has remained more focused on the aging consumer.  But as many of the “original” consumers have retired, Inlet has seen many changes over the years.  Currently there are consumers as young as 30 enjoying the day program at Inlet. 

Day Programs

Our day programs have individualized programming to best suit the needs of the consumer.  It varies from special interests and talents to educational and vocational pursuits.  Many of the consumers at Inlet volunteer.  It helps them become involved in the community while interacting with new people. 

Consumers volunteer for:

·    Share Society Thrift Store

·    Local Churches

·    Local businesses doing recycling

The activities run by Inlet include:

·    Drama Club

·    Music Therapy

·    a Community Garden which contributes it’s vegetables to the Kyle Kitchen Seniors Lunch Program

Drama Club

Drama Club takes place every Monday afternoon.  It runs throughout the year including performances by the consumers.  In the past the Drama Club has put on various plays, skits, and individual singing performances. Consumers from all the Port Moody programs come to Drama Club.  It is a fun filled activity and consumers look forward to the entertaining afternoon each week.

Success Stories:

A Story of New Beginnings  -by Mary Joy

This consumer came from Woodlands and had been at CISS for one year when I met him.  He was very shy and didn't’ say much.  At lunch he would always give his fruit cup to a staff to open.  At this time the consumers from Woodlands had a very low staff support to consumer ratio.  This made it hard to take the consumers into the community and find out their interests and desires.  Everyone was in the office quite a bit because of the controlled environment. This participant would come in to the office, sit on a chair and hold his legs against his chest with his hands covering his eyes.  The atmosphere was still very different and new for him. 

Our staff began to come up with ways to take the consumers into the community safely.  They would have a staff member stay at the office with 4 or 5 consumers while another staff took a consumer on a short outing.  This helped develop interests and social skills.  By the time I’d known this individual for a year he would come to Inlet and at lunch he would peel off the lid of his fruit cup on his own.  It was as though he suddenly felt like being independent. 

Now he enjoys sorting (which is why he volunteers recycling), joking around with staff, and visiting anyone in the building who leaves their door open.  He is quite an outgoing individual and everyone is very proud of the way he has developed into a contributing and active individual.

A Story of Hidden Desires -by Mary Joy

When this woman started at Inlet nobody knew she liked swimming.  On Fridays there was always a staff member and consumer that would go swimming.  One of those Fridays the staff working with this particular lady decided to tag along.  As soon as she was in the water she began floating face down.  After about 30 seconds her staff started to worry, and went over to her, just then she burst out of the water laughing, took a deep breath and went back under.  She enjoys swimming so much and always looks right at home in the water. Before coming to Inlet this woman hadn’t been swimming in six years.