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Welcome to a Culture of Gentleness

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Who We Are

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Progressive Lifestyles, Inc. is a 501 C (3) non-profit corporation based in Waterford, Michigan, which has been in operation since 1983. Our mission is to provide supportive and caring residential opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Oakland County. We support small licensed adult foster care homes and private residences with community living supports, home help services, and private duty nursing.  A primary focus of our organization is to interact with the individuals we support through the “Culture of Gentleness” model. We strive to help them feel safe and valued, while maximizing praise, limiting demands, maintaining consistent structure, and reducing stress during transitions. We seek to create a positive environment where people can develop meaningful relationships with others, improve their daily living skills, engage in enjoyable vocational activities, and increase their feelings of self-esteem. Our staff receive regular training to improve their interactions with the individuals and families we serve. We value our staff and appreciate the critical roles that they play in the lives of the people we support.

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Creating a Culture of Gentleness

The central purpose of our presence in the lives of others is to nurture, teach, and sustain the experience of connectedness, companionship and community.

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Safe and Valued

Gentle Teaching incorporates compassion as an alternative to the reactive and restrictive practices that are commonplace in working with those who present with complex needs. Our central purpose is to nurture; teach; and sustain a sense of companionship, connectedness, and community for those who have repeatedly experienced an existence of disconnectedness, isolation and loneliness.

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Praise and Demands

In moments of deepest vulnerability, we need interactions from others that are overwhelmingly positive and uplifting (vs. critical and demanding). This is truly a cultural shift to, or in some cases a deepening of, those principles that provide a solid base for helping individuals experience companionship and connectedness.

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Structure and Transitions

Gentle Teaching is based on the premise that all individuals have a right to feel safe and valued. Those who are most vulnerable require predictability and structure in their day.

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Contact Us

1370 North Oakland Blvd Suite 150 Waterford Twp, MI 48327, USA

(248) 666-1388

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