Bouncing to new heights
There are few feelings as rewarding as seeing a resident master a new skill or learn to self-regulate. Sometimes, that comes in the form of learning to manage behaviours of concern and eliminating potentially harmful behaviour.
When Jed came to live at a Scope home in 2014, he was frightened of others and had a strained relationship with his family. He would spend the majority of his time in total isolation, bouncing on an exercise ball for hours on end.
Orhan Pek, Operations Manager, has known Jed since the early 2000s. “Sometimes he was on that exercise ball from the morning until he went to bed, so about 20 hours,” Orhan said.
“It’s called top-down regulation – if someone is anxious, they exercise to release endorphins and mood-stabilisers.”
When over-stimulated or scared, Jed could also exhibit harmful behaviour.
“He wouldn’t tolerate other people in his area, and he didn’t have a good relationship with his family,” Orhan said.
Determined to make a difference, his team worked with Jed and his behaviour support team to create a plan to better support Jed.
Hard work pays off
The main objective in Jed’s plan was to encourage him to become more meaningfully engaged in his life.
The team recognised that Jed’s behaviour was a symptom of him feeling anxious or scared, so they focused on building his confidence and sense of safety.
By supporting Jed to feel safe outside the confines of his room, he became more comfortable participating in the household and, eventually, the wider community.
Now Jed confidently leaves his room to access the wider house, and enjoys daily visits to public places like the local park or beach with his support workers.
“He comes out and does the mopping, does his meal preparation, or he just comes out and says, ‘Hello’,” Orhan said.
“These household tasks don’t seem like much, but they give him purpose and once upon a time they would have been unheard of.”
The team have worked with Jed to master other crucial skills, like self-grooming (showering, dental hygiene, and dressing), as well as washing his hands before and after a meal.
Jed now uses cutlery, washes his dishes, folds his laundry from the line, and makes his bed.
“Because we have access to his complex sensory assessment and auditory processing, we fully understand his needs,” Orhan said.
“His team have been working with him for years, so we know when he feels stressed or anxious and how to best support him.
“Sometimes he just needs a quiet space to himself, so he can start to feel calm.”
Jed’s relationship with his family has improved tenfold.
“His behaviour previously even scared his mum, but recently she was able to give him a hug for the first time in two years,” Orhan said.
And he rarely needs his exercise ball.
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