Supported living in the South - In this issue: 02 - Lifeways
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ISSUE 2 | JULY 2021
Supported In this issue:
02 eet your friendly local
M
living in the team who are here to help
03 The latest from Lifeways in
South the South
07 Support service vacancies
in your area
1 | JULY 2021
Welcome to the second
edition of Lifeways Links
The Lifeways newsletter for the South region
At Lifeways, our commitment is to We’re proud to be known
providing extraordinary support that for celebrating the positivity,
creates fantastic outcomes for adults individuality, and ambition of
with diverse and complex needs. each person we support.
We do this through our stability, our This newsletter brings you the
local teams, our strong relationships, latest news and articles from
and our shared focus on quality and Lifeways and our services in the South.
improved outcomes.
Hear from Bridget
Your local Community Engagement
and Development Manager.
Hi, I’m Bridget Suitters.
In my role, I’ve supported many people Bridget
across the South to move into their Suitters
Community
new homes and I’ve seen the extensive Engagement and
work that my colleagues have put into Development Manager
delivering this support to enable people in the South.
to live independently at the heart of their 0333 321 4881
community.
We really hope this newsletter will be of Get in touch
interest to you. Please contact me if I can
assist you with placements of individuals.
Meet our Enquiry, Referral and
Assessment Managers
Jean Dawe Holly Goodson
2 | JULY 2021
Latest updates from your region
How communication in the
COVID era has helped keep
Lifeways on track
By Justin Tydeman, CEO of Lifeways
Across the UK, Lifeways employs almost and tenacity have generally succeeded in
11,000 colleagues supporting nearly overcoming them.
5,000 adults with diverse and complex It is a wonderful irony that the very fact
needs, across a variety of community of being forced apart has helped us to
settings, including our supported living communicate better than ever.
services and residential homes. The
COVID-19 pandemic has meant getting Lifeways has perhaps had fortunate timing
things right has never been more in this respect, having just implemented
important for many thousands of people. Workplace, Facebook’s professional, secure
digital environment for all our colleagues to
Lifeways has spent the past year – and all talk, meet and share.
the years before it - supporting people to
stay safe. Alongside fellow care providers,
we have rapidly adapted how we work
in response to the pandemic and the
commitment of all of our teams has been
just remarkable.
These thousands of people have blessed us
with their enormous combined experience
to bring us through the pandemic safely.
They have also given us an extraordinary
perspective on how things have unfolded The vaccine rollout has been a shining
throughout the country. example – it has enabled us to keep
Sadly, we have lost both colleagues and everyone updated in real-time by sharing
people we support to this cruel virus – a information, dispelling myths and enabling
tragic reminder of the seriousness of the frontline teams to share their positive
task we face. vaccination experiences. I have no doubt
this has been a major factor in helping
Open communication
colleagues overcome concerns.
We have supported our frontline managers
The past year has been a tragedy, yet we
to make sure GPs understand the needs
must allow ourselves to see the incredible
of the people we support and make sure
achievements and positive spirit which has
they are in the right priority group for
endured. We will nurture both to make sure
vaccination. Of course, there have been
we continue to keep our colleagues and the
concerns and challenges along the way,
people we care for as safe as possible.
but we have found open communication
3 | JULY 2021
How Lifeways’ Positive Behaviour
Support (PBS) reduces restraint –
and enhances peoples’ quality of life
By Jo Lourmpa, Lifeways’ Specialist Support
Manager for Positive Behaviour Support
We know how difficult it can be to In this situation, Ashley’s been supported
work with individuals who may display to get into golf as a self-coping technique
behaviours that challenge, which create to manage his feelings.
risks for themselves and people around
them. And of course, behaviours that
challenge don’t happen in a vacuum –
they happen for a reason. “As support professionals,
So what if we focused not on what it’s wonderful to see an
challenges – but instead looked to individual’s life transform
understand why these behaviours occur?
when they find positive,
Here’s an example of how constructive ways of
Positive Behaviour Support communicating that’s
works in practice: right for them.”
One individual we support, called Jo Lourmpa
Ashley, used to come across as loud and
threatening – and would at times get
into trouble, like when he’d break into the
cars of his support team. But by working Seeing peoples’ lives transform
with Ashley, and by utilising the person-
Ultimately, taking the time to understand
centred approaches learning from Positive
the person and figure out the environment
Behaviour Support training, his support
that works best for them is key to
team began to understand what was
supporting individuals to live happier,
important to him.
healthier and more independent lives.
For example, Ashley’s support team
And for us as support professionals,
knew he was inquisitive, and loves cars.
it’s wonderful to see an individual’s
So they decided to channel his energy
life transform when they find positive,
into something he’d enjoy and take
constructive ways of communicating
him go karting (before the pandemic).
that’s right for them.
Unsurprisingly, Ashley loved it!
To help him relieve frustrations, Ashley’s
support team introduced him to golf, and
before the pandemic hit, Ashley had started
to go to his local driving range where, in his Read more
words, he’d get ‘whacking a few balls.’
4 | JULY 2021
Hear from the people we support
How I made the move from college to a
Lifeways supported living service: Alisha’s story
When you’re a young adult with support
needs, transitioning to a very different
setting can feel daunting.
For Alisha, the transition to a different setting
meant moving from a college for people with
disabilities, to a Lifeways supported living
shared house.
In 2019, Alisha had spent two years at National
Star College in Cheltenham, having enrolled
when she was 19. While there, she lived
alongside 23 other students at the college’s
student accommodation in Gloucester.
Alisha enjoyed her time at college. “While I
was at National Star they taught me to be as
independent as possible,” she says. “Even if I
couldn’t do something fully they’d teach me
to be able to direct my own care”. While at “Lifeways reassured her that I’d have full
college, Alisha took part in drama productions, control of my support and she would still be
and spent time with the student union – which able to be in the picture as much as she could,
she says helped build her people skills. so I think that helped her accept my decision.”
Making the transition Moving in
Alisha loved having her independence at Since moving in to the supported living service,
National Star College. When the time came which is based in Gloucester, Alisha has
to move on, she was keen to transition into flourished. She feels she enjoys life to the full.
supported living. After finding out about “I was so happy when I moved in – although it
Lifeways during a transition event, Alisha went was a bit weird going from living with 23 other
to visit a Lifeways property near her. people to being just me and one member
“I thought it was perfect,” she remembered of staff. I felt like I had really accomplished
thinking as she saw the Lifeways service for something.”
the first time. “I could really make it my own.” As an individual we support at Lifeways, Alisha
Independence is important to Alisha. While was involved in choosing her support team.
at college, she’d already decided she didn’t She decorated her room in the colour she
want to live too near her parents, so that she wanted, and put up quotes on the walls. “I’ve
wouldn’t lose the skills she’d learned. made it feel like home,” she says.
“My family wanted the best outcome for me, Alisha also enjoys spending time with
but to be honest mum wanted me to live housemates, now that more people have
nearer to her,” said Alisha. moved to the supported living shared house.
“We sometimes do theme nights and group
dinners,” she says. “It feels like a homely,
friendly environment.”
Continues on next page
5 | JULY 2021
Future goals Alisha also enjoys keeping fit. She’s a big fan of boxing – which she does with her support team. Her goals for the future are to get a job – “maybe something in advocacy,” she says. For fun, she’s hoping to go on an adventure park holiday, and book tickets for some concerts. Now that she’s settled and happy where she lives, Alisha’s looking forward to what the future holds. “Lifeways has helped me to carry on directing my independence, and carry on doing the things I enjoy,” Alisha says. Time to get creative! Margaret, who lives at our supported living service near Bath, Somerset, has been making scented soaps with a member of the support team. Don’t they look great? 6 | JULY 2021
Supported living vacancies
in the South
High Nash
Coleford, Gloucestershire
Life-changing support for adults with learning disabilities,
autism, acquired brain injuries, mental health conditions
or drug and alcohol addiction.
The property has six one-bedroom apartments. Each
apartment has a bathroom with shower, an open-plan
kitchen and lounge area, and another room for people to
use as they wish. Outside there is an accessible, shared
garden with a patio. High Nash is an ideal home for an
able-bodied person with learning disabilities, who likes to
live independently.
Full details
Mildenhall
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Mildenhall is a shared house that provides
the perfect mix of independent living and
collaborative, community support. Living
in this shared space means individuals can
benefit from a vibrant network of friends
and staff, while having peace and quiet
whenever they need it too.
This property offers support for adults
with learning disabilities, autism, physical
disabilities, acquired brain injuries or
mental health conditions. Full details
7 | JULY 2021
Woodend
Dursley, Gloucestershire
This three-bedroom property has a kitchen,
open-plan dining and living room, a laundry
room and a quiet room. There is level access
leading to the garden with patio, where
people can enjoy the fresh air when the
weather is good.
Some rooms have en-suites with walk-in
showers, while the other rooms make use Full details
of the shared, ground floor bathroom.
Get in touch
Make an enquiry or find
out more from our team
by calling 0333 321 4881
8 | JULY 2021
Refer to Lifeways with confidence
From the moment you get in touch we’ll work hand-in-hand with you, from arranging
introductions and assessments all the way through to completing the move.
Step 1
Call or email us with your referral and we’ll gather all the information we
need to start the referral process.
Step 2
We’ll arrange a one-to-one assessment to spend time with the person,
their social worker and family, to understand their current situation,
support needs and their medium- and long-term ambitions.
Step 3
Once we’ve built our recommendation for support, we’ll arrange for the
person, their family and social worker, if requested, to visit our available
homes giving the opportunity to meet our team and ask any questions.
Step 4
We’ll produce a funding proposal detailing the support hours required and
then send it for funding approval, making sure all stakeholders are kept up
to date with the progress.
Step 5
Once the funding is approved we’ll agree on a move in date and start the
transition with everyone involved. We’ll be on hand to offer support and
guidance throughout to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Learn more about the independent living that we provide,
make a referral or arrange a visit by contacting Lifeways:
Call 0333 321 4881 Email referrals@lifeways.co.uk
Follow us on social
facebook.com/thelifewaysgroup
@LifewaysGroup
@lifewaysgroup
linkedin.com/company/lifewaysgroup
lifeways.co.uk
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