Contents
- Results Up Front - Negotiations
- Legend
- Structured Temporal Reconciliation
- Overwhelming
- Asking for Help
- Subjective Units of Distress (SUD)
- Hard to ask for help
- Test Messages
- Brief
- JB 99% Great Match
- FYI - Autism Screening Assessment
- Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms
- Key Events
- Reduced Productivity with Age
- Consumer Para-health Worker (PHW)
Finding a great shared room roommate
To find a great shared room roommate, clearly list your deal breakers—like sleep schedules and cleanliness—and screen candidates thoroughly. Use local platforms to connect with people nearby, filtering for shared habits rather than just mutual interests.
Transparency Principle
The principle of transparency dictates that actions, decisions, and processes must be open, clear, and accessible to stakeholders. It ensures that individuals can scrutinize how decisions are made, verify information, and hold organizations or governments accountable. In practice, this principle operates across several core fields, emphasizing accessibility and truthfulness.
Deal Breakers – High Weight Items
- Sleep
- Peace
- Noise
- Intentional Aggravation
- Sleep Apnea
Results Up Front - For Harvest
Negotiations & Matching Tool – 29 Items (HSF)
What DAR and Keith Torkelson Agree Upon
1.00 = Yes (Agree) | 0.50 = SoSo | 0.00 = No (Disagree)
69 percent described qualitatively
Translating a specific number like 69% into a qualitative description means converting a hard mathematical figure into descriptive, human-readable language. Instead of citing an exact percentage, it expresses the proportion using intuitive categories that communicate the weight or frequency of the data at a glance.
Qualitative Translations of 69%
Depending on the context, field, and tone of your writing, 69% can be described using various categorical frameworks:
Descriptive Frequency:
"The majority," "a significant majority," or "roughly two-thirds".
Research & Thematic:
In qualitative data analysis, researchers often group responses into tiers. A figure in this range is typically characterized as "most" or "predominant".
Academic Grading:
In standard academic grading systems, this percentage represents a D+ (or a flat D depending on the exact institutional scale).
Customer Feedback & NPS:
In business metrics, this score signifies "moderate satisfaction" or "room for improvement" (often categorizing respondents as passive).
If you tell me what specific context this percentage comes from (e.g., survey results, student grades, or customer reviews), I can help you refine the qualitative description to perfectly match your audience.
Is a D+ failing?
Technically, a D+ is often a passing grade that earns you credit, but it usually doesn't fulfill graduation requirements if the class is for your major, general education, or a prerequisite. In these cases, a grade of C or higher is required, meaning you would have to retake the course. A D+ equates to a 1.3 GPA and roughly 67--69%. Because specific requirements vary heavily between schools and departments, check your college's syllabus or consult your Academic Advisor to see how this impacts your specific degree path.
How is it that something is Overwhelming?
Something becomes "overwhelming" when the emotional and sensory inputs of a situation exceed your brain's current capacity to cope. This triggers a physical reaction where your logic-processing prefrontal cortex slows down, while your emotion-sensing amygdala goes into overdrive. It’s a biological tipping point rather than a flaw.
This experience usually occurs for a few core reasons:
Sensory and Cognitive Overload: The brain can only process a certain amount of information at once. When you take in too many details, emotions, or tasks, it creates a mental traffic jam.
The Freeze Response: Biologically, when the brain senses more pressure or threats than it can manage, it shifts into an active "fight-or-flight" (or freeze) state. This causes simple tasks to feel paralyzing.
Narrative of Depletion: Overwhelm often hits when you have mentally run out of bandwidth to categorize, prioritize, and manage the things happening around you.
Because the reaction is deeply rooted in your nervous system, it often shows up in your body, leading to a racing heart, shallow breathing, or mental fog.
Subjective Units of Distress
20260710-F-Pertains to DAR = Doug
https://www.thepsychcollective.com/blog/what-are-subjective-units-of-distress
It is hard to ask for help with an intervention
Asking for help with an intervention is hard because it forces you to face vulnerability, shame, and fear of making things worse. It means admitting a problem is out of control. People also worry about burdening others, facing judgment, and dealing with anger from the person they want to help.
The main reasons it feels so difficult include:
Fear of the Unknown
Families often prefer the safety of their current routine, even if it is painful, over the uncertainty of how their loved one will react to a planned confrontation.
Guilt and Shame
Society often attaches a stigma to conditions like addiction. Families may feel like they did something wrong and fear being blamed by others.
The "Burden" Myth
People often mistakenly believe they will be a burden or inconvenience to professionals or friends, so they avoid asking.
Fear of Rejection
The anxiety of asking for help and being told "no" keeps many people silent.
Control Issues
It is hard to hand control of a crisis over to a professional. Families often fear a stranger will not understand their unique situation. Reaching out is an act of bravery. It is the first step toward breaking the cycle.
Test Messages
Test Message - July 10, 2026 (F)
Greetings Betty (Single point contact),
For the most part things are going well with DAR. Things DAR and Keith agree on: Lighting, Temperature, no Televisions, door to room, blinds, back door, and printer sounds. Things we sort of agree on: Phone calls, Computer use, sleep, headphones. We don’t agree on his moaning and excessive loud coughing. DAR has been moaning loudly. He says his moaning is because he is bored. I know he is trying hard to fit in here at Harvest. Could you please help us get a handle on Doug’s moaning and coughing? It is OK for DAR to moan when I am not in the room. Thank you, Keith Torkelson
Test Message - July 10, 2026 (F)
Greetings Betty,
For the most part things are going good with DAR. I think I may be getting DAR sick. He is coughing and moaning a lot. Can you help us with his moaning and coughing?
Brief
When DAR (Doug) was moving in his friend indentified that he is mildly autistic. We found the following assessment online yet lack enough education and understanding to use it. This is an example of an assessment to be used by professionals. DAR is an approximately 50 year old overweight, diabetic, Caucasian, male. We shared a room with him for approximately three weeks. DAR began coughing and moaning uncontrollably about week 2 which progressively got worse by week 3. We had high hopes for DAR as a great match. Even though our association (match) scored 69.0% he didn’t pull through on some deal breakers such as permitting sleep and maintaining Peace. We worked hard negotiating with him. Unexpectedly DAR was relocated. Since June 20, 2024 in our retirement community (Harvest) we have had four Rent a Shared Room (RASR) roommates. In terms of user friendliness they rank: JB (Best) > RJD > TK > DAR. JB was a 99.0% match. Unfortunately, JB passed away. We share this material with the hope that others may benefit from our lessons learned.
FYI - Autism Screening Assessment
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
https://mc3michigan.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ASSQ-v2-ages-6-17.pdf
High-Functioning ASD Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ)
Adapted from Ehlers et al. 1999, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 29(2): 129-41.
Name of individual__________________________ Date of birth __________________
Name of rater ______________________________ Date of rating _________________
This individual stands out as different from other individuals of his/her age in the following ways:
No | Somewhat | Yes
Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms
Asperger's is a form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) defined by challenges with social interaction, specific communication styles, and highly focused interests. Unlike other forms of autism, individuals typically do not have language delays. Symptoms vary widely but most commonly involve:
Social Challenges
Trouble reading body language, difficulty understanding sarcasm or humor, and awkwardness in conversation.
Narrow Interests
Obsessive focus on specific, often highly detailed subjects (e.g., train schedules, specific academic topics).
Routine & Repetition
Strong reliance on daily routines and intense distress if these habits are disrupted.
Sensory Sensitivities
Heightened or lowered reactions to lights, sounds, textures, or tastes.
While "Asperger’s syndrome" is often still used to describe someone with "high-functioning" autism, it is no longer an official medical diagnosis. The medical community now groups all these symptoms under the broader umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Key Categories of Symptoms
1. Social Interaction and Communication
People on the spectrum often struggle with reciprocal social dynamics, finding it hard to form and maintain peer relationships.
Non-verbal communication
Avoiding or struggling with eye contact, unusual facial expressions, or rigid posture.
Conversation patterns
Tending to dominate conversations by talking at length about their special interests rather than engaging in two-way dialogue.
Literal language
Taking idioms and figures of speech literally, making it difficult to catch subtle meanings or humor.
2. Restricted or Repetitive Behaviors
These behaviors provide a sense of structure and comfort.
Rigid routines
Requiring the same daily habits (e.g., eating the exact same meals) and experiencing anxiety when schedules change unexpectedly.
Repetitive movements:
Engaging in self-stimulatory behaviors, or "stimming," such as hand-flapping, pacing, or rocking.
Special interests
Developing encyclopedic knowledge about narrow, specific topics.
3. Other Common Signs
Sensory processing issues
Being over-stimulated by crowded, loud, or brightly lit environments, or having a fascination with certain textures or sounds.
Motor skill differences
Experiencing clumsiness, poor coordination, or an unusual gait or posture.
Emotional responses
Difficulty regulating emotions, which can occasionally lead to meltdowns, outbursts, or emotional exhaustion from attempting to fit in.
02_Move_Plan_Phase-VI_14121902_Adjustment V2026
Reduced Productivity with Age
Research on aging and productivity reveals that average workplace productivity often remains flat between the ages of 20 and 60, though it can increase in complex tasks and decrease in routine ones. However, age-related cognitive changes, chronic health conditions, and early-onset neurodegenerative diseases can significantly impact output over time.
Key Factors Impacting Productivity
Cognitive Speed vs. Experience: While processing speed may decline, older workers often excel in complex, knowledge-based tasks due to accumulated experience, institutional knowledge, and strong decision-making skills.
Health and Medical Conditions: Chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or arthritis can reduce endurance and comfort, impacting daily energy and focus.
Early-Onset Neurodegeneration: Recent studies, including a report in the American Academy of Neurology, show an association between reduced work productivity and early-onset dementia, with productivity drops sometimes preceding clinical diagnosis by 6 to 15 years.
Strategies for Productive Aging
To maintain or enhance productivity as you or your workforce ages, focus on these actionable strategies:
Ergonomic Adjustments: Modifying workspaces (e.g., adjustable desks, better lighting) can reduce physical strain and fatigue.
Task Matching: Leveraging older workers for high-complexity projects or mentorship roles while adjusting routine task loads maximizes their strengths.
Workplace Flexibility: Incorporating self-paced work, flexible schedules, and regular rest breaks helps manage energy levels effectively.
Health Management: Prioritizing preventative health care and condition management can mitigate age-related physical and cognitive decline.
Consumer Para-health Worker (PHW)
A consumer para-health worker, often known as a Peer Support Specialist, Community Health Worker (CHW), or Consumer Provider, is an individual who uses their lived experience with mental health, substance use, or chronic health conditions to support and guide others. They serve as mentors, system navigators, and advocates.
Concerns
When to See a Neurologist?
https://www.rush.edu/news/when-see-neurologist
Make an appointment with PCP
ND = Not Diagnosed | RT = Real Time | LSF = Low Scores are Favorable
Scale
0.00 = No | 0.50 = SoSo | 1.00 = Yes
