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#CelebratingSocialCare: inspirational achievements

Throughout April we鈥檙e #CelebratingSocialCare and all the great work happening across the sector. We asked you to send in your good news stories and we鈥檒l be sharing these throughout the month. In this article we鈥檒l be hearing about some inspirational moments of achievement from the care sector.

Regaining independence

In October last year, a new chapter began at Cera Care’s Abergele branch when they took on a new supported living home. One of the people who came to live there was non-verbal, a wheelchair user with limited mobility, and autistic. His previous placement had not provided the right level of care, leaving him isolated and disconnected from the world. He had lost many of his essential skills, including the ability to feed himself or manoeuvre his wheelchair.

But in January, everything changed when he moved into his new supported living home. From the day he arrived, the Cera Care team set to work, focusing on rebuilding his independence.

Amazingly, this supported person has now regained enough strength to independently manoeuvre his wheelchair within the home. His hands are steadily growing stronger, and he has found new joy in life. From monthly skiing trips and disability-friendly cycling to weekly discos and watching rugby, his days are now filled with excitement.

The staff report that seeing his progress has strengthened the bonds between him and his team. His family and professionals who have known him for years have also praised the incredible progress he has made, and his mother has expressed that feels like she now has her son back.

This supported person’s mother said:

John’s magnificent McDonald’s trip

John is a person supported by PossAbilities, a social enterprise that focuses on supporting people living with a learning disability. Last year, thanks to additional funding aimed at supporting adults with autism, John was offered the chance to participate in evening activities designed to help individuals like him become more involved in the community. Living at home with his family, John didn’t often venture out. His mother, who also cared for his father, found it difficult to give him the social experiences many take for granted.

The funding created a perfect opportunity for John to take part in one-on-one community-based activities, and although he was initially hesitant, the gentle encouragement from his peers and staff led him to give it a try. When asked what he would like to do, John said he would like to visit McDonald’s for a meal. With the support of a familiar staff member, John ventured out. With his newfound courage and some help from PossAbilities staff, he ordered his own food and paid for it himself!

John has since discussed his outing with staff, reflecting on what he enjoyed most, always mentioning how much he loved "going out for tea." His confidence has grown visibly, and he has mentioned going out for more meals.

At home, his mum has noticed a change in John, saying he was more talkative and happier after the experience.

Well done, John!

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