Therapy Care participant Jacqueline Miller was featured on our blog a few months ago for World Mental Health Day. Jacqueline is living with schizophrenia and a psychosocial disability.
Before joining Therapy Care, Jacqueline wasn’t receiving the right support for her condition and was therefore quite withdrawn and led a very isolated life.
“Back in June 2020, Therapy care assisted me in my NDIS renewal meeting. Recreational therapist, Karlie, advocated for me throughout the meeting and helped me voice my reasons for requiring the level and type of support services required to help me achieve further independence and wellbeing” says Jacqueline.
Since receiving supports from her updated NDIS plan, it has been one of Jacqueline’s main goals to become more social and feel more comfortable being out and about.
Jacqueline has been working with Karlie to integrate into the community through the Group Day Program and social supports.
Jacqueline currently attends the mind-full stream of the Group Day Program once a fortnight. In addition, she has two social support sessions each week, where with her support worker, she participates in meaningful leisure and recreational activities.
Jacqueline also attends the two-hour Group Rehab session each week, where she works on physical fitness alongside fellow participants.
Six months into Jacqueline’s new improved roster of integrated supports, we’re proud to say that Jacqueline has increased her individual capacity and is on track to achieve some of her NDIS goals.
“Therapy Care continues to help me in all areas of my life. Most recently, they have been helping me integrate into a social day program, to assist me in developing new friendships – something I haven’t done in over 10 years,” says Jacqueline.
Karlie explains, “Each month, I work with Jacqueline, our rostering team and our support workers to develop suitable social outings. A leisure assessment was initially conducted, in order to identify Jacqueline’s leisure and recreational interests. From this, research and risk assessments are complete, and Jacqueline attends a new activity each service, as well as our Mind-full stream. We have created a visual calendar for Jacqueline to assist with memory and consistency.”
We’re so proud of how far Jacqueline has come since June and can’t wait to see what’s ahead in 2021!
Karlie has worked with many participants living with different mental health conditions including schizophrenia, bipolar, severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“One of my key takeaways in working with participants living with a psychosocial disability, is their desire to engage in social settings without fear of exclusion or being judged by their condition.
“It continues to be our role as service providers to break down the barriers and stigma’s surrounding mental health. In response, our MIND-FULL day program was developed to create a safe place for people with mental-health conditions to socialise, and participate in leisure activities of interest to them,” says Karlie.
At Therapy Care, our purpose is to empower individuals living with disability and support their independence in everything they do. As an NDIS provider, collaborating, providing evidence-based practices and matching support workers with participants are extremely important to us. Our team of professionals work together and closely with participants and their carers, to ensure our community members are improving their lives and meeting their NDIS goals.
If you have any questions regarding your NDIS plan, contact us at info@therapycare.com.au
