Published on: May 14, 2021 at 00:16
Thrive365 uses Person Centred Active Support to train all our support workers in our Supported Independent Living (SIL) services. It is a way of working that enables everyone, no matter what their level of intellectual or physical disability, to make choices and participate in meaningful activities and social relationships.
Person Centred Active Support was developed by Graystanes Disability Service and La Trobe University, and it has significant research and funding behind it.
The idea behind this work is that as little support is provided as is needed to allow a person to take part in the activities and relationships that are important to them.
There are 4 essential ideas:
- Every moment has potential. For example, every household task is an opportunity for participation. Instead of a support worker doing the washing up, they can support participants to do as much of it as possible.
- Little and often. It can be challenging for some people to do new things for long periods of time. This principle supports them to do small amounts, have a break, and come back to it.
- Graded assistance to ensure success. Not everyone requires the same support, or consistent levels of support. For example, sometimes less is required than to allow someone to take risks, or more than usual when they are feeling tired or less resilient.
- Maximising choice and control. This is not just about choosing services as per the NDIS, but about ensuring participants can make as many choices about their everyday life as possible.
Thrive365 loves these ideas, and so do our residents and their families and allied health support teams. Click here to find out more about Person Centred Active Support, and get in touch to talk to us about how we implement it in our Supported Independent Living (SIL) services to see real outcomes.