People come to Independent Options’ Short Breaks service for different reasons, and the service will always support them in a person centred way, taking careful consideration of their circumstances. We are here for whatever people need, whether it’s just a short break and a rest, or a stepping stone to greater things, just as Chris found out. Here’s his story.
Chris is 33 years old and had recently been diagnosed with autism, he had never been involved with any of the support services, but was in need of an emergency placement for respite. Chris was nervous around people, struggled to talk much and preferred to stay at home.
Chris and his carers met with Short Breaks Manager Dan, who completed the usual assessments before arranging for Chris to start support. A year on, and Chris’ life has turned around; Short Breaks has been able to help him to develop his skills and achieve the things that he wants, and Chris is now looking forward to moving in to his own supported tenancy.
Chris said: “Before I started respite I used to stay at home and only see my family. I used to get nervous around people and would struggle to talk or talk too much. Since I started coming to respite I have met more people and have started socialising more. Being around people has helped my confidence massively; if I could, I would live here. It has totally changed my outlook and now I want to volunteer to help and care for people. I cooked tea here last night, it’s helping me massively.”