Chapter 7a: Goals
Determining Goals
Now that you know the person on a bit of a deeper level you can help them to figure out their goals and outcomes. Let’s start with the goals!
Person Centered Plan Task
Look back on your “Notes for Action” and make a long list of possible goals along with the person.
Do not censor these goals with ‘shoulds,’ ‘can’t,’ or ‘impossibles.’ List everything you have talked about. This long list should be part of their Person Centered Plan.
Help the focus person choose their top 3 to 5 goals. Again, do not censor these goals. It does not matter if you or the person can see a path toward the goal at this point. These should be goals that make the person feel excited about the future. They should feel challenging and inspiring to the person.
See the example image below from Friday Knights Puppy Centered Plan.
Example: Determine the Goals:
List all of the possible goals from the NOTES FOR ACTIONS.
- Schedule walks? Hire a dog walker for days when mom is busy?
- Barking – working on using the button instead – needs more training.
- Discover places where I could make more friends. (dog friends)
- Spend more time with other people besides mom in order to deepen my relationships with others.
- Schedule daily walks when it is warmer and sidewalks / trails are safe.
- Keep a routine – write out routine so humans can follow it as I need it.
- Investigate other ways to keep a dogs teeth clean instead of brushing.
- Try the new groomers on the island to see if I like them as much as I like my Sudbury Groomer.
- Work on my Trick dog Title – mom needs to work with me daily on the next set of 15 tricks for my Intermediate title next. Daily practice will get me there.
- Go on a Hiking Vacation – mom and dad need to plan a vacation where they bring me like a couple years ago. Last year they went without me! I would like to go anywhere that I can walk, sniff, check out some water, see other dogs and stay overnight in hotels.
- Explore a Farm – There are a lot of farms around here. I would need to be sure I can be safe and not hurt by the animals if I were to be put down on the ground out of moms arms. Maybe start with visiting a fence side so I can look at the animals and then work my way up.
Prioritize these goals and list the top 3 to 5.
1. Work on Trick dog Title
2. Manage anxiety around noises in house
3. Go on more walks
If you create a vision board, include an image in your person-centred plan document under the Goal Section. What a beautiful way to personalize this document (and gain bonus points on your assignment!)
What is a vision board?
A vision board is a visual representation of the person’s goals. This could be a series of hand-drawn images, pictures cut out of magazines or a collage created on the computer. Having the vision board as part of the person-centred plan document can add life to the document.
The vision board could also be hung in the focus persons’ environment to encourage them and their support team to continue working towards their goals.
Here are some helpful resources if you choose to create a vision board.
Transcript needed
Making your Goals SMART Goals!
The goals must be:
- S = specific. The goal should include details of what the person wants to accomplish.
- M = measurable. You should be able to measure the persons progress and accurately determine whether they’ve accomplished the goal.
- A = achievable The goals should challenge the person yet be realistic. This is where you may need to consider what ‘parts’ of a persons goal can be achieved.
- R = relevant – The goal aligns with the persons objectives, values, dreams. They matter to them and their long-term plans.
- T = time-bound – The goal must have a deadline that helps to create a sense of urgency and prioritizes tasks.
Turn those 3 to 5 goals into SMART Goals.
Determining Outcomes
Now that you have 3 to 5 smart goals identified, it is time to determine the outcome for each goal!
What is an Outcome?
It is the way a thing turns out. It should be definable and measurable.
How do you create a good Person-centred Outcome?
In order to be sure you are creating an outcome and not a solution, ask these questions:
If the person got their outcome, what would it:
- Give them?
- Do for them?
- Make possible for them?
You can continue to repeat these questions until you have reached an outcome.
Example:
A bit about Julie:
- Julie loves nature, being outside and loves to be around people.
- Julie has a goal of losing 20 lbs.
Let’s ask the questions:
- What could losing 20 lbs give her? More confidence
- What could losing 20 lbs do for her? Less joint pain and more energy.
- What could losing 20 lbs make possible for her? She could have the energy to join a hiking group outside, enjoying nature and making friends with common interests.
Her Outcome May be:
- Julie will feel confident and healthy while hiking and making friends with people who also love nature.
Notice that Julie’s outcome does not include how much weight she wants to lose, what foods she will eat, or how much exercise she will do. Those are actions. The outcome is the BIG picture.
Person Centered Plan Task
On the Person Centered Plan Template, list the chosen goals and what is Important TO and Important FOR the person regarding each goal. Reference the Important TO Important FOR Tool chapter as a review.
Create outcomes for each of your 3 to 5 Goals identified.
See two examples from Friday Knights Puppy Centered Plan below:
| Goal: Get my trick dog title | |
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Important To Me:
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Important For Me to Stay Healthy and Safe:
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Outcome: I lead an active and happy life connected to people I love.
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| Goal: Manage anxiety with noises and strangers in house | |
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Important To Me:
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Important For Me to Stay Healthy and Safe:
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Outcome: I get to enjoy company and remain with my family when guests come over or loud noises happen.
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