Greg, a middle-aged man who lives in his own apartment with the help of SAJD Supported Living admits that he’s been “more of a microwave-type guy” than a home-cook for most of his years. When he was presented with the opportunity to join group cooking classes at JFS, Greg jumped right into the Food Bank kitchen.
Cooking, nutrition, house cleaning and money management are some of the critical life skills people with cognitive disabilities or mental illness must acquire in order to live with the highest degree of independence possible. Supported Living usually provides one-on-one training, but Case Manager Sonja Adams and Director Rachael Byer Kwong realized there would be big upsides to providing a social learning opportunity for clients.
One of the biggest challenges adults with cognitive disabilities and mental illness face is social isolation. Loneliness has been linked not just with mental health but also with physical health. In fact, “emotional isolation has been ranked as high a risk factor for mortality as smoking.”
With the support of Food Bank Program Assistant Kristin Svoboda and the camaraderie of peers and caregivers, Greg found the first cooking classes he took in May to be positive experiences. “I enjoy tomatoes but didn’t know how to cut them,” he explains. “They showed us how to grip the tomato like a baseball, like you were going to throw a knuckleball. That way your fingers don’t hang over the edge where you might accidentally cut them.”
In addition to acquiring techniques and healthy, approachable recipes (think vegetarian chili and strawberry yogurt parfait), Greg found himself enjoying the company of folks he recognized from previous events as well as those he was meeting for the first time.
Supported Living cooking classes continue in July. Kwong anticipates more opportunities for her clients to practice their skills and to build friendships that will support their well-being even after the food has been eaten and the last pots and pans have been cleaned and put away.
Written by Deb Frockt
Deb Frockt is Director of Marketing & Communications. She enjoys baking, beaching and learning about golf, both kinds of football, fashion and pop music from her husband and sons.
