Ep 191: Understanding Common Sense in Developmental Disabilities: Essential Training Tips

Welcome to the Friends for Life Podcast! Hosted by Tony and Paul, this podcast delves into the ongoing lives and issues faced by individuals with developmental disabilities, aiming to spark positive change in the field—all while having a lot of fun.

In this episode, Tony emphasizes an important lesson: common sense is not common. He urges listeners to abandon the ideology that everyone inherently knows the same things. This episode highlights the importance of documented standards and procedures in the field of developmental disabilities, explaining that without them, management and supervision would be unnecessary. Tony illustrates this by discussing how personal differences in cleaning and cooking standards demonstrate the need for consistent, documented guidelines.

He further advises that when training new hires, one should not assume they know everything. It’s crucial to provide thorough teaching, showing, and helping until the new tasks become habitual. Tony mentions that creating a new habit typically takes about three weeks, though this can vary from person to person. He concludes by encouraging listeners to embrace better practices and to give feedback on the podcast’s content.

Tune in for this insightful discussion and let us know what topics you’d like to hear about next time!