Rupert is a person we support with a learning disability. He lives at one of our supported living homes in Nottinghamshire. Every day, we support him to maintain his independence and live a fulfilling life!
A man of many talents, Rupert loves art, music, spending time in his garden, and cooking. Recently, he’s been learning new cooking skills for a special reason: to align with a special new diet.
Health challenges and changes
When Rupert started getting stomach aches, he knew something wasn’t right. His tummy became bloated, and he experienced a lot of pain. Rupert’s support team knew him well and could tell he wasn’t his usual self. He needed to see a doctor and they acted quickly, supporting him to navigate appointments to work out what was wrong. After a series of tests, Rupert was diagnosed with a twisted bowel and a lazy colon.
Over the next few months, Rupert was regularly admitted to hospital for further tests. He didn’t enjoy being in hospital, but his support team kept his spirits up! Together, they’d pass time doing Rupert’s favourite things – including art activities and watching videos on Tik Tok.
Because of his new conditions, Rupert needed an operation to create a stoma to his bowel which would help his body process food properly. Feeling nervous about such a big procedure, his support team reassured him. Understanding Rupert’s preferred way of communicating, they researched information on stomas in an easy read format with pictures. This helped Rupert understand what the stoma was for.
They also found other visual aids, such as The Stoma Man on Tik Tok. They would watch his videos together, so Rupert could paint a picture of what life with a stoma might be like. His friend’s mum also has a stoma, so our team arranged for her to visit Rupert at home. He saw what a stoma looked like in real life and was reassured his life wouldn’t change too much!
From the day they were notified of the operation, to the moment Rupert went for his procedure, our team were by his side, offering compassionate support and helping him to understand what to expect. With his confidence boosted, Rupert felt ready and had his operation.
Person-centred for success
Having a stoma meant Rupert would need to make some lifestyle changes – particularly to his diet. He wouldn’t be able to eat some of his favourite foods – like raw tomatoes fresh from his garden – because of the skin and seeds.
With the support of his team, Rupert used visual aids to understand what he could eat. His support team created a ‘yes and no’ food board, using pictures to show which foods he could safely enjoy.
Not wanting Rupert to miss out on the foods he loved, his support team learned more about stoma-friendly diets. Their research helped Rupert find alternatives, for example, discovering that he could still enjoy tomatoes if they were cooked, and the skins and seeds were removed. Inspired by this, Rupert set out to advance his chef skills and learned to adapt how he cooks his tomatoes!
Our team were determined to support Rupert through his lifestyle changes. They sourced additional training relating to his new medical needs. They also shared everything they learned with him, helping him to feel informed and confident.
Even though Rupert is very independent, his stoma was an unexpected change in his life. His support team have been crucial in ensuring he continues living the life he chooses. With their help and encouragement, he still accesses the community and enjoys his favourite activities, like swimming.
Naturally, some aspects of Rupert’s lifestyle had to change. Having a stoma means he can’t bend down far. At first, this created some obstacles in his favourite activities – like gardening.
Understanding how important his garden is to him, our team thought about how they could adapt his garden to meet his new needs. So, they installed raised flower beds and a desk in the garden. Now, Rupert can stand and do his gardening, just like he did before, but without bending and lifting!
A fulfilling future
From the moment Rupert had his first tummy ache, his supported team have helped him to manage unexpected changes to his health.
Through compassion and devotion, Rupert’s support team understood how these changes might affect his future. Using their expertise and specialist support, Rupert’s team supported him to bravely navigate each step of his journey. By adapting his environment to meet his needs, Rupert’s support team empowered him to continue living a life that’s meaningful to him.