Our Therapeutic Framework
Within Liaise we have developed a skilled therapeutic framework, integrated within all of our residential and supported living homes. In this report we would like to share with you two of the positive approaches that have made a significant difference within the lives of those we have the privilege to support.
Approaches:
(Names within this case study have been changed) Nancy has complex needs and lives in her own selfcontained single apartment, which is part of our support living complex of apartments in Woolwich.
Meridian staff raised that Nancy was making statements which could be considered allegations on a regular basis about support staff. The PBS Practitioner worked with Nancy to create a personal PBS Plan and a positive monitoring form. The form is a list of things which Nancy would like staff to do as they support her, the staff and Nancy then sign to say if these things did or did not happen on that shift. This list was formed in part by the Practitioner undertaking observations of staff supporting Nancy to see which aspects of her support she seemed to struggle with and then discussing this with Nancy. These were to be filled in every day to give Nancy more control over her support and make her feel more positive about working with staff if they are following her wishes.
Since implementation of this strategy Nancy has appeared much happier and this has reflected in a marked decrease in levels of incidents, as demonstrated in the graph to the right. Nancy has lived in her apartment since October 2017 and these skilled person centred approaches by our Positive Behaviour Team contribute to helping Nancy remain happy and content within her home.
Case study 2 – Supporting someone to complete their Quality of Life Assessment:
P had been living in a secure hospital for a number of years and had not left the hospital for any reason for three years. She was referred to us to be considered for a community placement at Birchwood House (picture right)The referral came near the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak so there were some additional challenges to overcome related to her assessment.
Now rolling forward a couple of years, how is P now?
Over the time P has lived in Birchwood House our specialist teams have been working with her on a regular basis. Additionally, they have worked with the staff team to help them evolve her home environment and approaches to support the best possible outcomes. P has paranoid schizophrenia which often manifests into a variety of differing responses and perceptions presented by P. Over her time in Birchwood, she has not always wanted to engage and therefore although the progress made has been extraordinary, it has been a long process requiring consistent, positive and creative approaches.
Most recently P was supported to complete a Quality of Life Assessment. As a result of nurturing relationships with her, she was able to spend 2hrs discussing various aspects of her life that provided evidence for the Quality of Life Assessment. Through nurturing relationships with P, she now more able to share her feelings and work with those in support of her to shape her life. Small steps, consolidated and built upon, have enabled P to adjust from her life, needlessly stuck in hospital to living in the community. The future holds many possibilities for P that perhaps may not have been achievable without the strong therapeutic framework around her at Birchwood House.
In conclusion:
These are just two examples of specific skilled interventions. There are countless examples in all our homes that present how our specialist framework makes a tangible and positive difference to the lives of people we support. We are extremely proud to share these outcomes.
