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A group of adults with learning disabilities from Cornwall has been reaping the rewards of a charity grant and are now growing, cooking and eating food grown in their very own allotment. The keen gardeners are supported by Hft in Cornwall, where they have been maximising the use of their on-site green space over the last four months.
Our Personalised Technology (PT) team has recently successfully applied for a grant of nearly �20,000 from the Gloucestershire Digital Innovation Fund. Thanks to the grant, the team will be able to train other adult social care providers in the area to harness the power of technology and use it to support people to live more independently.
A lady who is supported at one of our Newcastle-based services has been taking on an imaginative project to help her through a difficult time. ⠀ She usually attends a day opportunities service three days a week, and regularly spends time in her community and with her mum. While shielding, she began to suffer from low moods as a result of changes to her routine. That's when a staff member suggested she used her passion for knitting to create something positive. Read the full story on the blog!
A 67 year old senior support worker has been supporting adults with learning disabilities to live the best life possible at Hft for the last 30 years! After beginning her career in social care at a care home for the elderly, she was looking for a change of direction when she spotted a vacancy at a nearby Hft service in the early nineties, and hasn't looked back since.
Our staff teams in Bristol have been planning a range of activities centred around people’s interests to tackle low moods caused by being unable to take part in their usual activities. This included staging a special concert screening for two Westlife superfans. After spotting the newly released concert DVD, the Registered Cluster Manager at the service arranged a projector, concert seating, and even homemade tickets in honour of the special showing for the whole household.
Bella has autism and experiences heightened anxiety. She’s heard about the coronavirus outbreak and is feeling really scared. How do you reassure her? A) Tell Bella there is nothing she needs to worry about, and everything will return to normal again soon - there is no point frightening her and making her more anxious. B) Encourage Bella to discuss her concerns and share easy read resources to provide more information about the outbreak and keep her informed about steps she could take to keep healthy and well. C) Tell Bella everyone is feeling scared and suggest she stays inside at all times so that the chances of her getting the illness are reduced. Would you be able to reassure a person with learning disabilities if they were feeling scared about the Coronavirus outbreak? Our new quiz puts you in situations you might encounter as a support worker during the pandemic. Take the quiz now, and find out if you have what it takes - www.hft.org.uk//could-you-be-there-to-care
Support workers at our Bristol-based service are supporting people through the pandemic by helping them to maximise the potential of the communal spaces in their home. For people at the service with high sensory needs, a new sensory herb garden has been introduced. Based on staff members’ specialist knowledge, the new space is filled with items that stimulate the senses, ranging from a scented curry leaf plant, to brightly coloured flowers for visual stimulation.
From cardboard golf courses to hairdressing at home, Hft support workers in Devon have been going above and beyond to support people through the pandemic. They include a support worker who noticed people were missing their weekly trip to the pub, which forms an important chance to get out into the community and socialise with one another. In response, he decided to transform the shed in the service’s garden into a ‘pub’, complete with pool table, where people can now enjoy a change of scenery and a chat with housemates over a drink and some refreshments. Read more on the blog...
Frontline staff at an Hft service in Stroud are finding creative ways to support some of the most vulnerable adults in society during the Covid-19 pandemic. They include staff who have been encouraging an avid painter to use the extra time at home to experiment with new artistic techniques and have sourced new materials for him to use. As a result, the man has started using mixed media to enhance his work, with support staff noting that this has had a positive impact on his mental health. Read more on the blog...
