MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — At a bright and bustling facility tucked just off I-71, adults with developmental disabilities are boxing to music, exploring greenhouses and relaxing in high-tech sensory rooms.
It’s all part of a unique day program that just turned one year old — and it’s only getting started.
The Abilities Enrichment Center, operated by Blossom Hill Inc., opened in June 2024 to serve individuals across all levels of independence and medical need. Housed in a 25,000-square-foot facility, the program has grown to serve 47 participants daily and is working toward a goal of welcoming 100.
Lisa Kristosik, president and CEO of Blossom Hill, said the idea for the center was born during strategic planning and shaped by challenges that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During COVID, our folks who attended other day centers stopped going, and many didn’t want to return,” Kristosik said. “So we said, let’s build our own and make it an option that works for everyone.”
Located in Middleburg Heights, the facility was designed to be welcoming, accessible and flexible enough to meet the needs of people with varying abilities. Blossom Hill, founded in 1968, has long specialized in providing long-term and respite residential care for individuals with high medical needs. The day center extends that mission by offering a community space with daily enrichment and support.
One of the most impactful additions has been the sensory room — a high-tech space designed to stimulate all five senses through lights, sound and touch.
“These rooms help people decompress and manage behaviors without relying on medications,” Kristosik said. “They’re expensive, but they’re worth every penny. It’s hard to describe until you’ve experienced it.”
Participants have responded enthusiastically to the wide range of daily activities available at the center, from art and pet therapy to yoga, music and cardio drumming.
“Our individuals love everything,” Kristosik said. “They’re never hard to please. Jake, who runs Jacob’s Ladder, has disabilities himself. He and his dad come in and lead boxing and yoga classes that are tailored to what our individuals can do. Music therapy is also a big favorite.”
The center also emphasizes community outings. Participants go to baseball games, bowling, the zoo and a therapeutic greenhouse in North Royalton, another Blossom Hill property.
The greenhouse is more than just a scenic destination. In partnership with Case Western Reserve University, students helped design evidence-based programming for therapeutic activities tailored to individuals with developmental disabilities. That partnership later extended to the sensory room as well.
“They spent about nine months writing the guidelines with us,” Kristosik said. “Now both the greenhouse and the sensory room operate with that kind of structure and purpose behind the activities.”
Feedback from participants, families and support professionals has been overwhelmingly positive.
“When we get people in here, they’re just amazed,” Kristosik said. “You really have to see it to understand it.”
As the center continues working toward its goal of serving 100 individuals, Kristosik encourages interested families to schedule a tour. While the intake process takes time and coordination, the staff walks families through each step. That process includes the individual, their family and a county support administrator who helps manage services.
“Bringing someone new into our program is a group effort,” Kristosik said. “It takes time to complete the paperwork, but we’re happy to help. When someone tours with their support administrator and loved ones, it makes for a really productive first meeting.”
The Abilities Enrichment Center is open to individuals from the broader community, not just those already receiving Blossom Hill services. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit blossom-hill.org/abilities-enrichment-center.
