With the help of our residents, we are hoping to break down the misconceptions surrounding mental health, autism and learning disabilities. One of our residents from Grainger House, our supported living service in Cradley Heath, Sandwell shares his mental health recovery journey and how the team have helped him. Here is Theo’s story in his words:
“Schizophrenia and learning difficulties as well as autistic traits.”
“Nearly two years, at the start of next year.”
“Staff help me to keep on top of my appointments, they help me to attend my appointments as well so I don’t feel as anxious going on my own.”
“I have had a few instances, where staff sat with me and made a positive (behaviour) support plan as this helps them to support me when I am in a deflated mood but it also helps me to use coping strategies to come out of that behaviour and to think more positively.”
“Staff help me understand what not to do when I am having a bad day, they help me such as giving me the chance to reflect on how I felt at the time to prevent feeling like that again.”
“There was a time before that I wouldn’t remember to do things like flush my toilet or understand where I put things in my cupboards, so staff helped me to label things so I know where they are and they put posters up which has helped me with remembering things.”
“I get offered budgeting advice all the time, staff sit with me, they have made shopping lists with me, helped me go through my finances and bills and they also help me with budgeting my own money with a money tin that I have control over, but staff support with helping me manage the money that is in there.”
“Staff have helped me to live healthier, they help me cook, understand nutrition and they help me with maintaining a good diet, I mean I like my takeaways every now and then and my Mum also helps me buy food, but staff help me with a check (list) they set up, to understand out of date foods as before I hadn’t really understood when they went out of date or whether they were cooked, so now they help me on a daily basis to check and organise the dates and help me with cooking them if needed.”
“Yes, most definitely.”
“They have offered extra courses to learn and stuff, but I am just happy with listening to my music, I had trouble with my CD player before and staff helped me to buy a new one on the day it happened as they knew how detrimental this can be to my mental health.”
“Yes, definitely.”
“I would recommend Grainger and Northern Healthcare, because it gives me and others a safe place, it has become my home and I have made professional friends, including professional best friends and being here takes off the pressure of everyday life because you have that support to fall back on until you build up the confidence to deal with it myself.”
Find out more about Northern Healthcare supported living services and how our teams help people on their mental health recovery journey.
Please note names have been changed to protect confidentiality.
Photo by Simon Wilkes on Unsplash
