One-on-one activity visits for adults with developmental disabilities across Ottawa — in a private home or a group home. I bring the materials, the ideas, and the patience; you just have to open the door.
Every session is one-on-one and shaped around what that person actually enjoys — whether they live in a private home or a group home. No group pace to keep up with, no place to be but here.
A quick call or email to learn about the person's interests, abilities, and what a good day looks like for them.
I choose an activity to match — jewelry art, seasonal crafts, simple cooking projects, or something new — and pack everything needed.
I arrive with supplies in hand and guide the activity from start to finish, at a pace that fits the person, not a clock.
Visits run flexibly, usually 1 to 2 hours, depending on the person and the activity — there's no rush to fill a fixed time slot.
Every visit is built around one activity, chosen together beforehand. Here's a look at what's typically on the menu — new ideas are always welcome.
Every activity comes with its own step-by-step instruction card, so the process is easy to follow together from start to finish.
Hands-on cooking and canning sessions — jams, soups, apple sauce & butter, and beets.
Button and jewelry-based designs — wreaths, Christmas trees, bunnies & baskets, hearts, flowers, angels, pumpkins, and animals.
Nature-inspired crafts — wreaths, gnomes, and jewelled or painted pinecones.
Paint-your-own projects — t-shirts, birdhouses, stones, jars, wood disks, clay, and salt dough.
Every session starts with one of these — or something new, built just for the person.
Every catalogue item comes with its own step-by-step instruction card. Don't see something here? Tell me what the person enjoys and I'll plan something around it.
Support staff do a lot with very little time — medication, meals, safety, several residents at once. Hands-on creative activities are almost always the first thing a busy shift has no room for, not for lack of care, just lack of hours. A Heartful Connections visit is built to be the thing a shift usually can't be.
Every activity is planned in advance, drawing on 20+ years working in the developmental disability field — not improvised on the spot. Coordinate through the house manager or the resident's family, and the visit happens alongside the existing care team, not instead of it.
In-home visits are currently available across Ottawa and these surrounding Ontario communities. Not sure if your address is included? Just ask.
The same hands-on activities from the catalogue above, guided over video — live or on your own time.
Join a real-time video call and follow along together, with guidance and questions answered as you go.
Watch a step-by-step video any time that works for you, and revisit it as often as you'd like.
Use the supply list provided ahead of time and gather your own materials — great if you already have things on hand.
Skip the shopping — a complete materials kit is packed and mailed right to your door, ready to go.
The exact rate depends on the activity chosen and whether a kit is mailed to you or you supply your own materials — here's the starting range.
Guided live, using your own materials.
Guided live, materials mailed to you.
Follow along anytime, your own materials.
Follow along anytime, materials mailed to you.
Starting prices shown above — the exact rate depends on the activity chosen.
Ask about online sessionsOne flexible hourly rate that reflects the travel and the materials I bring with me to every visit.
Many families and group homes cover these visits with Passport funding (Ontario's Developmental Services program) — Passport dollars can go toward community participation activities and hiring a support worker directly. Check with your Passport agency to confirm your allocation covers it.
Pay as you go, one visit at a time.
Save about 7%
Billed upfront, used over 1–2 months.
Save about 11%
Best for ongoing weekly or biweekly visits.
Package rates apply to visits scheduled within 3 months of purchase.
Bringing a few residents together for one shared activity instead of separate 1-on-1 visits? Group sessions are available at a discounted hourly rate.
If the rate above is a stretch, reach out. A limited number of sliding-scale spots are held for families and individuals based on need — just a conversation, no paperwork required.
Ask about sliding scaleKnow a family or group home that could use this but can't afford it? A one-time or ongoing gift sponsors sessions for someone else — $45 covers one full hour.
Become a sponsorEvery visit is covered by the same checks and training you'd expect from an agency — because trust matters just as much as the activity itself.
Police-verified background check
Current certification
Non-violent Crisis Intervention
Liability coverage in place
Verified driving record
Before Heartful Abilities, I spent over 20 years working in the developmental disability field, most recently as a Program Manager in the non-profit sector. That work stayed with me — the people, the relationships, the quiet moments that mattered more than any meeting.
I wanted to build something that feeds my heart and soul, not just fill another role.
Heartful Connections grew out of that: a way to keep showing up for adults with developmental disabilities, one visit and one activity at a time, in the place they're most comfortable — home.