New opportunities
Broadoak’s group of learning disability homes enrolled on Active Support three years ago. In this time there have been many changes within the homes and ultimately an improvement not only in the service user’s skills and independence but also in staff approach to the support role.
Active support has provided the service users with opportunities that may have not previously been offered. This is in all aspects of their lives, from daily living tasks to community and recreational activity.
Introducing active support was, for some people, an easy transition into distancing themselves from providing care to becoming enablers, allowing the service users to become more independent and to learn more skills to assist them in daily living. There were and still are some people who need to be reminded that the people we support do not need caring for and need to be promoted in their independence. Given their background (elderly and dementia), some of the long term staff have come from it has been difficult to change the culture of which they are familiar and this is a working progress which is done through formal supervisions, ongoing support and training.
In relation to ‘new staff’ beginning their career in care with Broadoak Group, active support has become embedded in the way we work. It is part of our record keeping, our approach to the service user’s needs and our culture. This is to enable the service users to be independent and to learn things for themselves. Backward chaining has become a routine process of learning new skills which is undertaken without thought.
Negative behaviours have since reduced and this has been noticed not only by staff but also family and health professionals.
Active support has increased the independence of the service users and the moral of the staff supporting them. Learning a new skill is viewed highly and completion of this process is celebrated by the person’s support worker. It is shared with the teams through handovers and this sense of achievement not only comes from staff but also the service users. Confidence to take on more complex tasks is evident and encouraged. Previously one of our service users did not go out, through choice, at all. He preferred to stay in his bungalow. Using participation records, it was evidenced that the level of engagement was very little. Staff took it upon themselves to create opportunity plans to help develop the persons confidence and skills. The participation record also evidenced to health professionals his level of engagement and as a consequence enabled a change of medication. Since active support and the medication change this person has been out into the community after four years confining himself to his home. He makes regular visits to communal areas outside of his home and attends parties in our communal hall which at one time he would have declined. Negative behaviours have since reduced and this has been noticed not only by staff but also family and health professionals.
Should Active Support start again from day one? I believe some things could be done differently to ensure that everyone is aware of the impact it can have on a person’s life. Active support would be covered in formal inductions and talked about in the interview process to ensure the applicant is aware of what it is and how we wish them to work with our service users and not for them. They would be made aware of the mental impact it can have on a person and their potential to progress to a supported living service where they can exercise their independence.
Active Support will continue at Broadoak Park, as said before, it has become a part of the culture. Enabling the persons who live with us is the best care we can offer them, not only in relation to the service we provide but in relation to their mental wellbeing. Staff will continue to be supported in acting appropriately to encourage independence and be discouraged from performing a ‘care assistant’s’ role. Regular meetings, supervisions and appraisals will incorporate that person’s understanding of active support and help them to identify its importance within our home. Identifying the difference between a care role and a support role.
Noel Allcock
Care Manager
Broadoak Park