ROBIN’S JOURNEY

When we first met Robin he was in an Assessment Centre in Wick and looking for suitable supported accommodation within the Highland area.

After a few visits with him he agreed to visit one of our services in Inverness. After the visit he made the decision to move to a new home where his new support team would support him to live as independently as possible.

Initially, Robin was dependant on his wheelchair and needed 2 carers to assist him with his daily routine, however before Robin came to live in The Bungalow in April 2015 he went to Aberdeen and had surgery which had a positive effect on his mobility.

This operation gave Robin increased mobility and was introduced to his new NHS Physiotherapist. After some time he was then able to stand and walk with the aid of a walking frame and his confidence grew. We knew that we needed to alter our approach and embrace his increased mobility. Together we agreed to pull back from our initial approach and only support when necessary however still applying an active support approach.

Over the next few months Robin’s confidence grew to a point where he was less dependent on our support. We were still however still in his life, promoting his health and wellbeing and socialising and relationships, motivating and encouraging him.We supported him with his financial management which allowed him to pause and consider his future.

Although Robin thrives in his own company once you get to know him he is a very knowledgeable, funny man who has a great sense of humour. After 10 months of living here in the Bungalow Robin decided he wanted to live a more Independent way of life, living in his own house. We understood the importance of this to him and organised a review to discuss the possibilities of realising his dreams.

We assisted him to make this wish a reality, organising and supporting his application for appropriate housing and support. He identified a few options and visited west coast options. We embraced the possibilities and visited the areas where he made a decision to accept a new home. Today Robin is living in the West Coast overlooking the sea, enjoying a wee dram at night. No doubt he will get another cat to complete his dream.