About carer ID 15394
Learning Disability, Dementia, Hearing Impairment, Older Adult, Physical Disability, Sight Impairment
To discuss this vacancy, please pick up the phone to speak to one of our team or email us on enquiries@sharedlivessw.org.uk
Head office: 01626 360170
Dedicated Shared Lives Assistant: 07860 917677
About Graham
Graham’s experience is limited to his Mum who had Dementia and the gentleman he supports who has a profound learning disability and some autistic traits.
Graham cared for his Mum for 10 years right through the Alzheimer’s journey and has supported the gentleman through Shared Lives for 2.5 years very successfully. Graham supported his Mum at home until she died at the very end of 2024.
He says that he carried that experience with him and it really helped in getting G settled in to a new house after 19 years with his previous carer. It was quite a challenge for me but must have been daunting for G and he really showed an amazing ability to adjust and just get on with it!
Our house
Our house in at the end of a cul-de-sac and is fairly quiet.
There are convenience stores within about 10 minutes walking distance.
Being where we are at the end of a cul-de-sac all the neighbours know each other and it is a friendly environment.
It is a short drive into the Town Centre of Torquay or to the beach where I have walked various dogs over the years.
I have heard our house described as an ‘upside house’ by Estate Agents.
The upstairs is on street level and very much like a bungalow with 2 bedrooms a living room and a wet room. One of these bedrooms is the one I offer for respite care.
The downstairs, which is occupied by the gentleman I support long term, has a large bedroom with en suite.
There is a small garden to the rear which can be access from the downstairs bedroom as the house slopes down with the gradient of the hill. It is also accessible from a sloping side alleyway.
There is a driveway to the front.
Who Graham is looking to support
Graham is offering internal respite to other Shared Lives households or short breaks further afield within the Devon community. He has one available space on the ground floor of his house. He would like to support someone with learning disabilities, an older adult or someone with dementia.
Graham would like to offer a relaxing break at his house and would work with someone’s Care and Support Plan to arrange a break that would suit. There is plenty of opportunity for getting involved in cooking and working on developing daily living skills like doing the laundry, planning meals and recycling. But also, Torbay is a great place for visiting some of the beautiful beaches, parks and local attractions – a nice place to have a holiday!
NB
Graham has a German Shepherd type rescue dog called Jack. Jack loves human beings, but doesn’t like other dogs.
Graham needs to walk Jack for one longish walk in the morning and two short walks later in the day. Someone would need to be happy and able to accompany Graham, or be able to stay at home for up to an hour on their own whilst on their break. If the person stayed at home, Graham has an app connected to his fire and smoke alarms so that he would be alerted should there be any sort of fire whilst he is out.