Our Top Tips for Supporting Young Adults
At Wessex Care, we’re often associated with caring for and supporting older people in the Salisbury area. That’s only part of what we do, however. We also assist young adults, generally aged from 18 upwards, who need our support to live their lives to the full.
Young adults with support needs can include those with a range of physical or mental health challenges and conditions such as spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, autism, learning difficulties and muscular dystrophy, to name a few.
Some benefit from support in a residential care environment, others need our help to live in their own community. Here are just some of the ways that we deliver our support to young adults in and around Salisbury:
Helping Young Adults Life Independently
The challenge for many young adults is how to get the support they need to live as independently as possible. Individual needs vary tremendously from one person to the next and taking a personalised approach when providing support is important.
It’s not just about doing things for someone but enabling them, as much as possible, to have control over their own lives.
Not Defining Someone By Their Condition
Understanding that someone is not the condition they have is important when providing any kind of support. A young adult who is in a wheelchair because of a spinal cord injury shouldn’t have opportunity denied them. Our support helps them find solutions to problems and overcome any hurdles.
Just because someone has a learning difficulty doesn’t mean that they are helpless – they may require support for various aspects of their lives but that does not mean they are unable to flourish and live life to the full.
Flexibility is Key in Providing Support
Young adults generally require flexible support that is responsive to their needs. The level of care with some conditions may well change over time and it’s important to provide a support package that fits individual needs.
Studying and Work
Just because someone has a particular mental or physical health challenge doesn’t mean they can’t study or succeed in the workplace. Often it’s about finding solutions that allow the individual to engage.
For example, someone might need help with personal care, getting to and from campus if they are at university or getting meals ready. A person might benefit form a personal assistant to help in the workplace, overcoming physical hurdles and providing support that allows them to thrive and succeed.
Respite Care
Another part of what we do at Wessex Care is providing respite care for home carers in Salisbury and the surrounding area. Whether it’s for a short break or a longer one, respite care is really important for many caregivers and it’s important to have a service available that is trusted and can deliver the support which is needed.
There is No One Size Fits All
When it comes to providing support for young adults, the key is that there is no blanket solution. Each individual is different and their support or care package needs to reflect their needs and help them achieve their goals. Some may require the input of clinical teams such as nurse practitioners, others might require support being more adventurous in their approach to daily life.
Working flexibly with young adults is vital to ensure they have all the opportunities most of us take for granted. At Wessex Care, we’re committed to providing adaptive and meaningful support both through our residential care homes and within our community team who provide their services in and around Salisbury.
