A young woman with mental health issues who has just moved into a newly-opened supported living service near Rochdale is so delighted with her placement that she has written a poem about it.
Twenty-year-old Ceejae’s new home, Fairway, is a much-needed new supported living service for women with learning disabilities and mental health needs. The six-bed newly-refurbished property on Rochdale Road caters for individuals from local authorities across Rochdale and Manchester.
Ceejae writes about how much she values the friendliness of the staff and her new house-mates, finishing her poem with “This place is a dream.”
Fairway, run by care provider the Regard Group, is home to six women who have transitioned from long-term hospital or residential care.
“There is an enormous need for this type of accommodation in the area,” said Regard locality manager, Simon Buxton. “We’re offering the chance for individuals to live independent lives while having access to the relevant level of support they need.
“The women are being supported proactively to develop personalised coping strategies. This not only develops their skills in the practical elements of daily living, such as budgeting, but also enables them to manage the emotional and psychological impact of community living – especially important due to the many years they have spent in long-stay hospitals or other institutions.
“Everyone is settling in brilliantly. We are beginning to see friendships forming and the women bonding as a group. They enjoy planning menus and sitting down together to watch TV.
“They go out shopping supported by a member of staff and buy what they need for their meals or things for their rooms. Recently they all came together to make some delicious millionaire’s shortbread.”
The team at Fairway provides person-centred support plans which include details of how to assist individuals to maintain their independence
Located on the Rochdale/Middleton border, the new service occupies a detached house with a large garden and includes a self-contained one-bedroom flat. It is the second new service for Regard in the Rochdale area, following on from Canal View which opened last spring and supports six adult males with learning difficulties, autism and/or mental health needs.
