A breakthrough holiday for John

When John recently enjoyed a break in Skegness, it was a huge milestone for him as he had overcome his anxiety about spending a night away from home.

Since John moved in to his home five years ago, his support team have been supporting him to build his confidence and manage his anxieties about staying away from home, gradually moving towards the goal of an overnight trip. However, John’s confidence took a significant hit two years ago when his brother sadly passed away. John was grieving, and his anxiety resurfaced.

John had always wanted his bedroom decorated in red so we felt that this was an opportunity to encourage John to take a holiday while we redecorated his room.  John agreed to give it a try, and this became the turning point. We talked everything through with with John, explaining each step and ensuring he knew what to expect. One of his key concerns was his fear of not returning home, so we made sure to continuously reassure him that he’d be coming back home after his holiday.

After considering several destinations, John chose Skegness. He also mentioned wanting a hot tub, so the team upgraded the lodge to meet his wishes. Throughout the lead-up to the holiday, his staff continued to support John by helping him get used to the idea, shopping for the trip in stages, and planning all the activities they’d do together so he was prepared and was feeling excited.

Taylor, the Deputy Manager of our Nottingham supported living home, said: “When John arrived, it was like seeing a whole new side of him. Just look at the photos, he was beaming with joy the whole time.

John has managed to overcome so much change in a short time and experienced new, exciting opportunities during his five days away. But the real highlight for him was staying in the lodge and of course the hot tub! We were starting to worry we might not be able to convince him to come home!

John said: “I loved the hot tub with the bubbles. I liked the lodge a lot and wanted to stay longer. I enjoyed the pub and had fish, chips and Coca-Cola. I thought the market was fun too and I went to the café.”

Taylor said: “We’re all incredibly proud of what John has achieved, and the team has done an amazing job supporting him to get to this point. John’s already planning to go back next year!”