Diana's Story
I was diagnosed with bi-polar in 1992. At first I was only given medication to...
Shared Lives
Cynthia was working in a residential home for adults with a learning disability when she saw an advert for our service in 1987.
Cynthia was frustrated by her work at the home and the variable quality of the service offered there by ever changing staff.
Along with 80 other people she attended an information meeting about becoming a carer and was one of only 8 sets of carers from that meeting that eventually became approved to offer a service to our scheme.
Her approval included attending carer training groups, having full medical and personal checks taken, and being visited several times at home.
Once formally approved Cynthia was clear that she would like to offer care to 2 people. On a visit to Queen Mary’s Hospital we sat down in a ward to talk to the staff about any people living there who could be suitable to live with carers.
One of the “patients” came over and sat on Cythia’s lap. It was clear there was an attraction but not why.
The staff told us that they were clear that someone who was so profoundly disabled with no speech, in need of personal care and a history of self-harm could never live with a carer.
Jane had been abandoned as a baby and with an assessment of a severe disability and Downs Syndrome was felt best suited to spend all her life in a hospital setting.
Cynthia was clear that Jane should be given a chance and lengthy meetings and visits were held over many months before the hospital agreed to Jane even visiting Cynthia’s home.
The rest is history. Jane has now lived with Cynthia for 20 years and has enjoyed a quality of life that nurses who visited could not believe. Jane attends activities in the community where she lives and has become part of an extended family.
Cynthia’s two daughters have followed their mother’s path and are now both approved carers for our service.
Cynthia also has two friends she referred to us who are also approved carers.
Her son-in-law provides transport for us when needed and her husband is a support carer for one of the daughters.
Thank goodness she saw that advert in the local paper!