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Monday 8am - 4pm Tuesday 8am - 4pm Wednesday 8am - 4pm Thursday 8am - 4pm Friday 8am - 4pm

Assisted Independence

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United States
Columbus, IN
Assisted Independence

We provide home and community support to individuals with disabilities throughout all of Indiana.

12/18/2025

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Due to weather, we’re rescheduling our Christmas at the Zoo plans for another night!

NEW DATE: January 2 @ 5-9 PM

12/17/2025

Last Monday’s Mammoth Cave trip was a great opportunity for our small group to explore, connect, and create memories. Thank you to everyone who joined!

“Social, Community and Civic participation is considered one of the core domains of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), Disability, and Health framework (4), which recognizes the important relationships between disability, function, the environment, and health. While most of the specified domains in the ICF framework focus on individual activities or functions rather than participation, Chapter 7 (Interpersonal Interactions and Relationships) and Chapter 8 (Major Life Areas) outline key aspects of participation…Interventions were identified that (a) support connection with social, community or civic participation opportunities, (b) provide participation opportunities that increase the sense of inclusion, belonging and participation, and (c) build capacity to enhance social skills and wellbeing to enable social and community participation.”

Giummarra MJ, Randjelovic I and O’Brien L
(2022) Interventions for social and community
participation for adults with intellectual
disability, psychosocial disability or on the
autism spectrum: An umbrella systematic
review.

12/16/2025

Basketball Buddies is back!

Basketball Buddies is a 4-week inclusive program for kids and young adults with special needs to learn fundamental basketball skills while building confidence and friendships. Participants are paired with buddies for support with dribbling, shooting, and passing.

Sundays | January 25 – February 22
@ 1–2 PM or 2–3 PM
(No programming February)

Ages 5+ | $20

Participants may bring their own equipment if needed; equipment will also be provided.

Register by January 16:
cbusinparks.com/basketball-buddies

12/15/2025

Research consistently demonstrates that belongingness is a fundamental human need and that shared social experiences play a critical role in psychological wellbeing. Group-based leisure and therapeutic recreation have been shown to enhance social integration, self-esteem, and emotional health, particularly for individuals navigating disability, mental health challenges, or life transitions (Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Iwasaki et al., 2014).

Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529.
Iwasaki, Y., Coyle, C. P., & Shank, J. W. (2014). Leisure as a context for active living, recovery, health and life quality for persons with mental illness. American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 17(4), 1–23.

12/12/2025

Recreational Therapy Uses More Than Just One Approach 🎨🎶⚽️

Recreational Therapy integrates a variety of evidence-based therapies to support physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being through meaningful activity.

Some approaches include:
- Art therapy to support emotional expression
- Music therapy to improve mood and communication
- Animal-assisted therapy to reduce anxiety and build trust
- Adventure therapy to build confidence and resilience
- Mindfulness & relaxation for nervous system regulation
- Movement and sports for physical health and self-esteem
- Role-play and drama to practice real-life social skills
- Horticultural therapy to promote patience and well-being
-Cognitive games to strengthen attention and problem-solving
-Social skills groups to support communication and connection

Recreational Therapy is effective because it meets individuals where they are—using motivation, enjoyment, and purpose to build skills that carry into everyday life.

Austin, D. R., & Dawson, S. L. (Eds.). (2025). Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques: Evidence-Based Recreational Therapy (9th ed.). Sagamore-Venture Publishing. (See Chapter 1: Theories and Therapies).

12/11/2025

We’re celebrating the season with a special trip to Christmas at the Indianapolis Zoo on December 18th from 5–9 PM!

📍 Indianapolis Zoo
📅 Thursday, December 18th | 5:00–9:00 PM
📞 RSVP to Payton McFall at 812-603-6063 or on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indianapolis-zoo-trips-tickets-1317052542609?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

12/10/2025

Join us for a guided spelunking experience at Mammoth Cave on Monday, December 15th. This program is designed to promote physical activity and exploration in a supportive environment.

📅 Date: Monday, December 15
📍 Location: Mammoth Cave National Park

Please talk to your therapist for updated details on tour time and pricing.

12/08/2025

Join us for the next session of our Rock Climbing Program led by Recreational Therapist Nhi Nguyen. This program invites participants to engage in therapeutic rock climbing as a means of building confidence, enhancing emotional regulation, and developing trust in the body.

No climbing experience is needed—just a willingness to move, explore, and grow. All levels are welcome.

“Engaging in nontraditional physical activities may address important psychosocial correlates of physical activity. Self-efficacy (situation-specific self-confidence) and enjoyment of physical education and physical activity are key components linked with physical activity in youth.”

Lun, L. I., An, R. U., Ting, L. I. A. O., Shisi, Z. O. U., Xiao Hong, N. I. U., & Yong Tai, W. A. N. G. (2018). Effects of rock climbing exercise on physical fitness among college students: A review article and meta-analysis. Iranian journal of public health, 47(10), 1440.

12/05/2025

Assisted Independence is now accepting Direct Support referrals in Bartholomew County, including DHI, RHS, PAC, and RSPO services.

Contact Raeanna Hostetler at:
812-379-8838
raeanna@assistedindependence.care

12/04/2025

Reminiscing last summer’s fishing program which was a true highlight — our participants made amazing catches and even better memories. Here’s to more opportunities ahead!

“Leisure activities can positively influence physical, psychological, and spiritual health (Mannell Citation2007). Correspondingly, a large number of studies confirm a positive association between exposure and access to natural environments and various health benefits (Hartig et al. Citation2014; van den Bosch and Sang Citation2017; White et al. Citation2019). There is also a wealth of literature describing the positive relationship between human health and recreational activities conducted in natural environments (Mitchell Citation2013; Chen et al. Citation2018; Venter et al. Citation2020).”

Pita, P., Gribble, M. O., Antelo, M., Ainsworth, G., Hyder, K., van den Bosch, M., & Villasante, S. (2022). Recreational fishing, health and well-being: findings from a cross-sectional survey. Ecosystems and People, 18(1), 530–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2022.2112291

12/02/2025

We are pleased to recognize Jenna Stillabower as our October Employee of the Month.

Jenna consistently demonstrates exceptional professionalism, reliability, and dedication in her role as a Direct Support Professional. Her commitment to person-centered care and willingness to support both individuals and team members contribute meaningfully to the quality of services we provide.

We appreciate Jenna’s ongoing contributions and the professionalism she brings to her work each day. Thank you for your outstanding service and for making a lasting impact on the individuals we support.

12/01/2025

Reminder for upcoming event:

🎄Join us for a festive Christmas Cookie Decorating event on Friday, December 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Please RSVP to Raeanna Hostetler to reserve your spot.

Address

PO Box 1683
Columbus, IN
47202

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4pm
Tuesday	8am - 4pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 4pm
Friday	8am - 4pm

Telephone

+18123749450

Website

https://www.assistedindependence.care/

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