Tudor Rose is one of our specialist support services in Hampshire and is home to Emma, an autistic person we support who also has a mild learning disability. She first joined us when she was in her early 20s. Over the years, our expert support team have navigated life with her, watching her make many amazing achievements. This year, she’s reached one of her biggest goals yet!
Emma has many interests and passions. Using person-centred support, our team know her well and understand how important these are to her happiness. Every day, they’ve empowered Emma to explore her hobbies, but she’s often come up against obstacles. Because she’s autistic, she experiences sensory differences, affecting how she processes information about the world around her. Crowded spaces and loud noises are particularly triggering, so she’s struggled to access opportunities where she can nurture her hobbies.
Emma’s a huge fan of creepy crawlies and finds spiders especially fascinating! Our team are always looking for new ways to support this interest. So, recently, they organised a trip with Emma to the Natural History Museum. Understanding how Emma’s needs might be impacted in a busy city like London, they used specialist techniques to prepare her. Now, after a successful trip, Emma’s got the bug for seeking adventures!
Person-centred preparation
At Tudor Rose, our team have nurtured a warm, inclusive environment. The people we support get along well, so lots of their activities are group activities. Because of her needs, Emma gradually disengaged from these activities, but our team didn’t want her to miss out. After discussing this with Emma, they identified independent activities might be better for her.
They took time to understand what Emma might like to do and discussed visiting the Natural History Museum with her. They knew this was a big step because of her sensory needs. So, they ensured she was comfortable with the idea.
Our team always use open, honest communication, actively including the people we support in making decisions about their lives. They empowered Emma to choose whether she wanted to go to the museum. Once she’d made her decision, our team used lots of different techniques to prepare her for the trip.
They helped Emma understand the different environments she might be in, like travelling on the London Underground. Respecting her individual communication preferences, they used picture cues and Makaton to support her to understand what the underground stations might be like.
Over time, she understood they might be busy and a little crowded, but Emma wasn’t put off. She was determined to make her trip and, with our communication approach, started to feel comfortable with the idea of a busy environment.
Working with Emma, they developed a step-by-step guide for the trip, so she knew what she’d be doing each step of the way. A few days before the trip – and then on the day – they ran through the plan with her. Emma was fully involved in planning her outing and they continuously checked she was comfortable with going. With each step of preparation, Emma’s excitement increased, and she couldn’t wait!
In her stride
The time to make the trip to London soon came around! Prioritising Emma’s wellbeing, our team ensured she had everything she needed if she started to feel overwhelmed or experienced sensory triggers on the day. They packed a set of pink ear defenders in case she found any of her new environments too stimulating.
On the day, Emma’s was supported by a team who understood her likes and dislikes. Knowing Emma well, they could identify how she was feeling through her body language. This was particularly helpful if she was becoming over-stimulated by crowds or noise. By being able to read Emma’s body language, they could immediately find quieter arears and methods to keep her calm.
Fully prepared and empowered to succeed, Emma sailed through the trip. The whole way, she was excited about seeing the dinosaurs and the different displays of beetles and bugs. Reassured by the company of her support team, she took the day in her stride and made the most of each stage. Travelling on the train towards London is extremely busy, especially at weekends and in the summer holidays. But, with all the techniques our team used to prepare her, Emma successfully navigated the different, busy environments.
To celebrate such a successful outing, a stop at the museum gift shop was the perfect ending to a long, exciting day!
Emma’s amazing adventure
With dedicated person-centred support from our team, and lots of determination, Emma’s trip was a success, and she had a fantastic time!
Each member of our support team was overjoyed at the success of Emma’s trip – they knew what a big achievement this was for her. And Emma’s parents were thrilled too! They sent a lovely email to our team, thanking them for ensuring Emma could take such as memorable trip.
Since visiting the Natural History Museum, Emma has expressed that she’d like to go back. Adapting to busier, noisier environments has opened up new opportunities for Emma to travel and visit other places that interest her. From making this first step, our team understand how Emma adapts to different environments and what she needs to ensure her wellbeing is maintained throughout the day.
Navigating this experience with Emma marked a big moment for our team too. Knowing their commitment and compassion is making a difference to Emma’s life is the greatest gift they could ask for. And the resilience and determination she showed while preparing to take this trip have been incredibly inspiring to them.
There’s no better feeling than knowing we’ve made a difference to the people we support.
Emma’s a brilliant example of not being afraid to try new things with the people we support. Emma’s resilience and determination, coupled with our knowledgeable team, made it an amazing adventure!
Mai-Britt Wheeler, Registered Manager, Tudor Rose
Want to know more?
You can discover more about our specialist residential home Tudor Rose on their dedicated webpage!