David's journey at Harold Road - patience and progress towards a brighter future...
David moved into Harold Road, Leytonstone in 2008 having become confined to his bedroom at home. He had experienced several bouts of bullying and a mugging which had reduced his confidence and self-esteem dramatically. No amount of encouragement from his mother would make him leave his room. At the age of 29, with learning disabilities and mental healthcare needs, his life was in despair. With the support of the local authority, his mother was introduced to the Clearwater Care team, from which the story of David’s new life began in earnest.
Arriving at Harold Road, David commenced an eight month programme of rehabilitation, with one to one care every step of the way. The programme involved many aspects of daily life skills training from personal care to preparing meals. With encouragement and patience, David’s coping skills improved and confidence levels began to rise. His daily routines became much busier and soon he was able to venture out into the wider community. The team focused on two key aspects – letting David know that he was within a safe and supportive environment, balanced with empowering him to become more independent.
Today, David is a new man. He has stepped down to a supported living environment in a separate home, just yards away from his original location. The feeling of safety is still there, yet he is now able to look after himself, from shopping and cooking to attending local college where he is busy studying Information Technology, Drama and Music. He is a member of the local branch of Mencap where he goes out with friends in the evenings. Yet help and encouragement are never far away – within the four roomed house David meets with his key worker every day. They talk about his achievements and plans for the rest of the day, following a care plan which is continually reviewed. And at night, there is the reassurance of knowing that one of the care team are within the house in case help is needed.
“David has been a delight to work with,” comments Oz Khan, Home Manager at Clearwater’s Harold Road facility. “In a relatively short amount of time, we have built new levels of trust between him and the team. It is through this trust and awareness of us being with him every step along his care pathway, that he has been able to grow in every aspect of his life. For us and of course his mum, David has turned a very dark corner and looks forward to a bright future.”