Michael is 50 years old with a diagnosis of Autism.

Michael was initially living independently in his own flat. He would receive very limited care and support within his home provided by an inconsistent team, which led to Michael becoming increasingly unreceptive to receiving care.

Michael would consistently refuse care and support as he became more unhappy with his circumstances, and he became increasingly isolated and withdrawn as a result.

Following further deterioration, Michael was eventually admitted to hospital where he spent time recovering before being moved to a rehabilitation unit.

What did Michael and his commissioners want to achieve?

• Help Michael to find shared accommodation where he would receive consistent care and support
• Rebuild Michael’s confidence
• Find Michael a team he could trust
• Prevent Michael from being readmitted to hospital

What did we do to help Michael achieve these goals?

Whilst Michael was in hospital, he communicated to his Social Worker that he felt that he would benefit more from living in a shared accommodation, where he would be less isolated and would have more reliable care and support.

Michael’s Social Worker had previously worked with the team at The Bungalows, one of our Supported Living services, and believed the service could be a good fit for Michael’s needs.

The team met with Michael and his Social Worker regularly throughout the assessment process, and made sure to involve Michael at all opportunities to ease his anxieties and to help him make an informed decision about his next home.

When Michael decided The Bungalows was the right next step for him, the team created a person-centred transition plan to help Michael move to his new home at his own pace.

What were the outcomes for Michael?

Since moving to The Bungalows, Michael has been thriving in his new home. He has built positive relationships with his team and lifelong friendships with the people that he lives with.

When asked about how he felt in his new home, Michael told his staff “I love it at The Bungalows and I don’t ever want to go anywhere else!”.

With a home environment that he feels safe and supported in, Michael’s confidence has grown enormously. He is now able to trust his staff and communicate openly with them, and is much more comfortable sharing his thoughts, feelings, and needs with his team.

Michael added “I think the staff are marvellous, they have helped me feel comfortable”.

Michael now knows that the care and support that he needs is reliable, consistent, and tailored to his own unique needs, which has helped him reduce his anxieties and feel secure in his new home.