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Supported Living | Bring the change people with #learningdifficulties want to see
Although change is a part of life and is happening constantly, it can be difficult for many people to deal with, but even more so for those with disabilities and special needs. This is where supported living can help.
Living with a disability can often mean that more advanced planning is needed to live a full and independent life, which means that any kind of change is more difficult to deal with. For example, people with developmental disabilities such as autism also tend to be happiest when they have strict routines to follow, however, any alterations to this can be distressing – particularly if the changes are sudden or unexpected.
How do we help?
As a unique housing charity specialising in providing housing for supported living, Zetetick understands the stress that change can cause people with disabilities and special needs, because they are our tenants. We strive to minimise this stress through adhering to best practice for supported living.
‘Best practice’ means that housing and support provisions are made by separate organisations, to ensure that changes can be made to one without having to change both at the same time.
In supported living, it is often the case that if a person’s housing is provided by the same organisation that provides their care, they have to find new accommodation in order to make changes to the support that they receive. This makes moving, already one of the most stressful events that people go through in their lives, even worse for people with special needs or disabilities, because if best practice has not been followed, they will have to find both new housing and new support.
Zetetick Housing sources properties to suit tenants’ specific needs and desires, frequently from the private rental market, and we work with care commissioners and care providers to help organise the right level of support for each tenant in their new supported living home. Through this approach, making changes to either housing or support is a far less stressful process for the disabled people that we house, because they have guaranteed stability from one element while changes are made to the other.
Tips for dealing with change
Even though our best practice approach to supported living makes change less stressful for our tenants, we know that it is still difficult to deal with, especially in this current climate with COVID-19 restrictions being altered on a weekly basis. So, here are a few of Zetetick Housing’s tips to help you respond to changes:
- Allow yourself time to understand how you’re feeling, whether it’s upset about losing your old routine, nervous to start your new one or even a little excited about a new opportunity. Taking the time to process and validate your emotions, regardless of whether they’re positive or negative, will help you to prepare for change.
- Do self-care activities that will help reduce anxiety, whether it’s a favourite hobby such as reading or baking, or a relaxation activity such as taking a bath or mindful meditation.
- Be prepared for the change by finding out more information, either through online research or speaking to people. This will help you to be as prepared as possible, and will give back a sense of control.
- Get support from those around you, through having a chat with a loved one about the change and how it’s making you feel, or by finding and talking to others with similar experiences so that you can understand how they dealt with it.
If you are a local authority commissioner for people with learning difficulties, associated disabilities or autism we can take away the problem of property where supported living is concerned. We often have developers wanting to work with us as they have done in Henderson house, and its partnership working with you that can make this kind of supported living property available in your area. Contact us now to discover more.
