Experience: Supporting a Young Adult to Achieve their Goals
Several years ago, in my first year working as a carer, I supported a young woman, C1, who was roughly the same age as me. She had complex care needs that required almost round-the-clock support, overnight care, medication management and personal care.
C was grateful for the support as it allowed her to live in her own flat. She enjoyed leading an active lifestyle, going to the cinema, attending pottery classes, and playing accessible sports. C was outgoing and friendly, and always up for trying out new activities, whether by herself, with friends, or with me as her carer. Supporting C was a joy, though it still stings to think about how she beat me at bowling.
Most of all, C liked being independent.
When I started working with C, she made it clear that while both she and her family appreciated the peace of mind that came with having a carer on hand at all times, her goal was to regain as much autonomy as possible. C was fully aware that her care needs meant she would likely need support for the rest of her life, but wanted to work towards being as self-sufficient as possible.
When the time came to review her care plan, C and I sat down with the rest of her Care Team to come up with a plan to help her achieve her goals. We supported her to make a list of things she did on her own, things she liked to be supported with, and things she needed support with. The first section filled up easily, so did some of the third; the second took the better part of a week as C and I discussed her regular tasks and activities.
C was determined to regain as much independence as possible but also acknowledged that certain things were simply out of her control. Her complex needs meant that there were tasks she could not do alone, but this wasn’t a sign of weakness—it was simply part of her journey. Some of the things C listed in the “things she needed support with” section were simple at first glance: transferring from her wheelchair to her shower chair, managing her medications, and sometimes preparing meals. But as we continued to work our way through her list, it became clear that there were other reasons behind some of her needs.
C admitted that, although she was physically capable of doing many things on her own, there were moments when fear and uncertainty crept in. She was afraid of falling or making a mistake with her medication, or of injuring herself when preparing meals. In those moments, having a carer nearby gave her a sense of safety and control over her environment. It was a different kind of support—one rooted in emotional reassurance, as much as in physical assistance.
C and I agreed to approach things gradually. Initially, it was a matter of cutting back on some of the less critical support. C was comfortable trying out smaller adjustments, like managing her morning routine without my assistance, knowing I was just in the next room if needed. As weeks passed, her trust in herself allowed her to take on more tasks with a growing sense of security.
We worked closely together, with her family and Care Team, to ensure every change was made at a pace she felt comfortable with. There were moments of doubt, but C’s resilience and trust in herself and her team meant that she could handle each step of her progress, and with the reassurance she needed.
Over time, C’s care had reduced from full-time hours to part-time, a level she was comfortable with – enough to ensure she had the support she needed without feeling overwhelmed. She rarely required support during the night, and had taken over her own medication management with regular check-ins. It was an incredibly rewarding moment for all of us to see how far she had come, and how her ability to live life on her own terms had expanded.
C still enjoyed the companionship aspect of care, and continued to beat me at bowling. She also still had the peace of mind knowing that help was there when needed, but most importantly, she had shown herself just how much she could accomplish on her own.
–Anna, Care Worker
- Names and some details have been changed for anonymity. ↩︎
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