Opportunities For Adults

Andover and District Mencap started their first supported living project in 1982 offering support in a shared home to adults with learning disabilities. It started off supporting with tasks like making meals or a bit of housework with the client, not for the client; thirty years later supported living has become a whole new way of life, it enables adults living in their own homes to be as independent as possible with help, support and encouragement from their support team.

Supported living today means the difference to someone between having no control over their life and finding it difficult to manage alone and being given the necessary support to achieve goals and independence the same as everyone else.

The level of support we can provide is dependent on the member's assessed needs and wishes; we can provide many different supported living support packages, entirely dependent on the individual, ranging from one hour of support a week to go through letters and to budget for the upcoming week to having two support workers 7 days a week for 24 hours a day. In addition to a team of support workers, all members using Andover & District Mencaps support services are allocated their own Opportunities for Adults Coordinator who manages their general day to day support as well as monitoring and assisting with their welfare and housing needs; there is also an out of hours 'On Call' service that operates when our offices are closed in order to provide a point of contact if a member has an emergency. Below is a quick list of the type of support we can provide to our service users, please be aware this list is not extensive and if you do not see something on this list please contact to discuss:-

• Help with meal preparation, cooking and planning
• Menu planning for the week
• Making a shopping list and going shopping
• Budgeting for the week/month
• Support going to the bank to have someone explain the jargon and make it simple
• Support to go to the gym, horse riding or swimming
• Support to access the community ­ shopping, meals out, cinema, bowling, walks, drives
• Support with correspondence
• Support with medication ­ collection and ordering
• Support to see friends and family it would be difficult to see without support
• Arrange medical appointments and attend too if necessary
• Support to go to clubs and on days out
• Support to look for and apply for jobs or voluntary work
• Support with pets
• Support with housework and maintaining a tenancy agreement
• Support to plan, budget and go on holidays
• Support to learn new skills ­ cooking, arts, crafts, computer

We can also provide comprehensive support to clients living with carers; this support at home can include personal care and respite care; support is mainly funded through Direct Payments but we also provide care under Social Services and Supporting People contracts.

All our staff are trained to a high standard and undergo regular training updates as well as additional training when additional skills are required to work with specific members. We seek to meet our Care Standards Act 2000 requirements and we are regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

At the moment, Support is mainly funded through Social Services and Supporting People contracts but members can buy support directly from us if they wish.

For more information, please contact the Supported Living Operational Manager, Caroline Hardy by calling 01264 321840. Alternatively e-mail her by clicking here.