Lee celebrates taking his first steps in months

A huge congratulations to Lee who has walked a lap around his garden after his anxiety about falling over had prevented him from leaving the house. We have been supporting Lee since August, and in those few months he has made incredible progress.

Previously, Lee lived with his dad and led an active, independent lifestyle. He would regularly get the train to Manchester for the day and enjoyed being out and about all the time. However, things changed when Lee developed a sudden anxiety about walking and moving. For six months, he would only leave the sofa to eat or use the bathroom. We don’t know what caused Lee’s anxieties but his dedicated support team have been working with him, encouraging him to take small steps to regain his confidence and independence.

Coral, the manager of our Coventry care home, said: “When Lee moved in, our goal was to support him in his recovery and help him make progress. His biggest fear has been the possibility of falling, so we’ve spent a lot of time gradually building up his confidence, starting at home. We encouraged Lee to take small steps indoors, in the hallways, using his walker, and to leave the house and get out and about using a wheelchair.”

As Lee’s confidence steadily grew walking indoors, the next challenge was to encourage him to take some steps outside. “We suggested that Lee try taking his first steps outdoors in the garden. It took a few weeks of gentle persuasion and consistent reassurance, but eventually Lee agreed to give it a try.” After much encouragement from the staff, Lee reached a huge milestone and walked a lap around the garden.

It was such a huge achievement for Lee and he was absolutely beaming with joy. After completing the lap around the garden, he said he needed a milkshake to celebrate!

“Our next steps with Lee are to support him to walk just outside the front of the house, to build his confidence walking on ground that’s a little more uneven. One of his current worries is stepping over the slight lip at the front door, as he’s still afraid of falling. We’re offering reassurance and support every step of the way.

“Ultimately, once Lee regains the confidence to walk up and down the street on his own, our goal is that eventually he can go out and about when he wants to without needing his wheelchair.”