Extended Stay is an opportunity to live with a supportive family to learn the skills necessary for independence.
Families support clients in a variety of ways responding to each person’s individual needs.
EXTENDED STAY CASE STUDY
Husband and wife team, Norman and Wendy, from Boston, have been opening up their home to support adults with learning disabilities or lived experience of mental health for the last 8 years. Part of a country-wide organisation called Adults Supporting Adults (ASA), Norman and Wendy provide a service called Extended Stay, whereby a client is carefully matched to live with a suitable family and then supported to develop the skills to maintain their independence in their community.
Norman found out about Extended Stay when he applied to ASA for another post, however, when the team came to talk to him and Wendy, they suggested that someone living with the family may be a better option. Wendy admits it was something they had never considered, but the training and in-depth assessment created opportunity for them to find out more about ASA’s processes which reinforced their confidence in taking on the role, regardless of previous experience. “Initially, we thought it was just like a job, but it’s much more than that, it’s a way of life, where we can count on our larger family network for support. It can be stressful at times, but ASA supports you through such matters” Wendy and Norman said. “To see someone like Sam who is now with us, develop his independence and make his own choices, gives us sheer enjoyment. It just makes you realise how much we can all take for granted at times. The clients living with us have also broken down stigma, as people can hold stereotypical views which are quite ignorant as they can’t see the person, only the disability, our family are quite privileged in that respect”.
Sam has lived with Norman and Wendy for nearly 18 months and has really developed his independence since coming into the arrangement. Previously living in foster care, Sam now attends Boston College, volunteers at a charity shop and when free travels all over the county by bus. Sam states “I feel safe living with Wendy and Norman and I really enjoy going out for meals and attending family events. I like my independence”.
Operations Manager, Dean Barnshaw said “ASA provides Extended Stay, which is a long term arrangement, or Respite, providing short breaks for clients and their family carers. Not only is this a viable alternative to residential care, but enables the client staying with the Extended Stay family to remain part of the local neighbourhood. At present there are approximately 12,000 clients in such arrangements throughout the UK and it continues to expand day by day. Currently, ASA supports around 65 Extended Stay/ Respite clients across Lincolnshire and we are looking to increase the number of arrangements significantly over the coming years so as to provide more choice for those clients who wish to choose Extended Stay/ Respite as a way of living their lives in the community.”
Norman and Wendy would encourage anyone to become Extended Stay providers, asserting “you have to learn not to take things personally, nor judge clients by your own standards as it’s important to remember that the people you are supporting are adults in their own right and therefore make their own decisions, but that’s the very reason why the role is so rewarding.”
