For 40 years, Skills Plus has been assisting stroke survivors and other physically disabled adults regain functional, social, cognitive, and physical skills through interactive classes and a strong support system.
Skills Plus is an affordable, awarding winning program that:
- Provides training and activities focused on functional skills and independence.
- Offers opportunities for group interaction and socialization.
- Has caring capable instructors who are healthcare professionals.
- Provides a safe, supportive and stimulating learning environment.
Students in Skills Plus work to improve their functional skills like learning to walk and being able to communicate with their loved ones. It is in mastering these basic skills that allows the stroke survivor to live at home and continue to be a part of their family.
Services are geared toward stroke survivors but are not limited to that group. People with Parkinson disease, chronic heart and lung disease as well as other related physical disorders can benefit from the program. Skills Plus offers classes in mobility and communication skills as well as independent living activities. Please help spread the word about the services that Skills Plus offers. Perhaps you already know about Skills Plus, or maybe you know someone who could benefit from the program. Please call us at (408) 423-3570 for more information.
Stroke survivors, people with Parkinson’s Disease and other major neurological conditions.
The Skills Plus Program offers classes in the following areas:
Mobility Skills
Students learn skills to improve their mobility whether transfering from a wheelchair to walking without a device. We focus on maintaining and improving confidence and greater independence with mobility. Students are guided and encouraged in a group setting to improve strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance. Included in this course are supervised activities which improve balance, posture, and body awareness for all students. Students learn safe use of exercise equipment and can even practice safe transitions to/from different surfaces. All students will receive reinforcement of techniques or adaptations as they previously learned in their prior mobility instruction.
Adaptive Activity and Exercise
Students will maintain or improve strength, flexibility, coordination, awareness and function of the upper body. Students will learn upper body exercises and how to modify them to meet their needs. Students can also participate in activities of daily living such as dressing, meal preparation, art, board games and adaptive sports.
Communication and Cognition Skills
The goal of the class is for students to gain confidence in communication and improve quality of life. Students learn strategies for a variety of areas including word finding, sentence complexity, intelligibility, and verbal clarity. Content may focus on improving cognitive-linguistic skills needed for daily functioning and community activity such as shopping, dining and other desired activities. Students may also work on cognitive skills such as concentration, memory compensation, functional problem solving and reasoning. Sessions focus on developing compensatory strategies for challenging areas. Students work on fundamental problem solving such as goal attainment, personal safety and participation in the community.
Fall classes will start on term will be Thursday, August 14, 2025. Please see term dates below.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate in the program, individuals must be able to engage in and benefit from a group setting. They must meet the following criteria:
Be 18 years of age or older.
Be continent (able to control bowel and bladder) and able to access and use the restroom independently.
Be able to eat and drink without behaviors that may disrupt the group (e.g., coughing, spitting, choking).
Not exhibit wandering behavior.
If a caregiver will be present at all times to assist with toileting, eating, or wandering concerns, exceptions may be considered.
Please call and speak with the Supervisor to discuss any special circumstances.
Observation
If you are enrolling for the first time, please contact us at 408-423-3570 to arrange for a appointment to observe the program. Observations usually take place on Tuesdays at 11 am.
Assessment
If the program is right for you, call to schedule an appointment for an assessment at (408) 423-3570. The appointment lasts about one hour. The one-time assessment fee is $50.00. There are no refunds.
Medical Clearance Form
A Medical Clearance Form filled out and signed by a physician is required. When the students comes in for the assessment, he/she needs to bring in the completed form. The form must be on file in the office prior to participation in the program.
Returning students who have not been to the program for longer than 6 months will need to complete a new intake process and complete a new Medical Clearance Form. This also applies to anyone whose health status has significantly changed.
