What Is Supported Living?
Supported living, also known as assisted living, is a service delivered by registered healthcare providers to support individuals who need assistance with daily life activities. The main goal of supported living is to provide care and support to enable people to live as independently as possible.
Assisted living is beneficial for people with complex care needs who do not want to live in residential care but who might find it difficult to manage everyday tasks on their own. With supported living, people can choose where and how they want to live, whether it’s supported living accommodation or in the comfort of their own homes.
From personal care to emotional support and companionship, supported living services provide person-centred and humanised care for every individual. The level of support is different for every person, designed to their unique needs and preferences.
Who Is Supported Living For?
Many people with neurodevelopmental differences and physical motility limitations need assistance and support on a daily basis. With supported living, people can access everything they need for independent living and active engagement in the community.
Supported living services support people with a wide range of needs, including:
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health challenges
- Autism
- Behaviours that challenge
- Complex care needs
- Physical disabilities
- Acquired brain injuries (ABI)
- Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS)
Assisted living services are designed uniquely based on the individual’s desires and choices.
Different Types of Supported Living
There are various types of supported living available, each offering different levels of support. You can choose between living alone or sharing housing with others who also require additional support.
It’s important to learn the different options that supported living offers when finding the best solution for you, including:
- Supported living at your own home
- Supported housing and group homes
- Supported housing with a short-term stay
Whatever you choose, it’s essential to choose a reliable and person-centred healthcare professional that will meet all of your needs and expectations.
How Does Supported Living Work?
Under supported living, people possess their own individual agreements and are responsible for managing their bills and living costs. There are separate agreements covering supported living accommodation and personal care. To meet the costs, people are entitled to several housing benefits, including employment, support, and mobility allowance.
In some cases, people have access to adapting property grants. The costs of a person’s care may be covered by the local authorities or via NHS funding.
Supported Living For People with Mental Health Challenges
Supported living service provides person-centred care and support to people with mental health challenges. Supportive living entails emotional support and guidance, promoting independence and assistance in managing their mental health challenges in the comfort of their own homes.
Supported Living For People with Learning Disabilities
Supported living offers a range of benefits for people with learning disabilities. With professional assistance in supported living, people with learning disabilities can learn new skills and promote their strengths and talents, empowering them to unlock their full potential and live fulfilled lives in the community.
What Services Does Supported Living Offer?
Supported living service is arranged to provide a wide range of support that will embrace all the needs and aspects of people’s lives. From mental health support to physical activities and healthy social life, supported living ensures that service users enjoy all their rights and live in a safe and comfortable environment.
Although promoting independence is the primary focus of supported living, this type of care offers a range of other services to ensure the physical and mental well-being of the individual, including:
- Personal care and assistance with tasks like cooking and shopping
- Medication administration and management
- Active engagement in social and community activities
- Assistance with domestic tasks
- Managing finances, bills and benefits
- Access community services
- Promoting healthy eating habits and sports activities
- Learning new skills and talents
- Access to education, voluntary or paid employment
- Organising leisure activities
- Maintaining social and family relationships
- Access to technology or equipment to promote independent living
To optimise the quality of supported living services, healthcare providers follow the health and social care standards regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Finding the Right Supported Living Option for Your Needs
Supported living is all about feeling safe, comfortable and happy in your own home or the place you or your loved one choose to live in. For example, your loved one may want to live in a shared home with two or three other people, or they might decide to preserve privacy and live alone.
Nurseline Community Services delivers personalised, supported living services across the UK. We provide fast response, high-quality care, and support services to people with additional and complex care needs. Our main purpose is to support individuals in the most challenging times of their lives, providing quick crisis de-escalation solutions and ensuring safe and nurturing living environments.
With Nurseline Community Services, people have access to holistic and person-centred care and enjoy the freedom of choosing their activities and care plans, along with meaningful inclusion in the local communities.
Transitioning from Care Home to Supported Living Arrangements
After days, months, or years in residential care, some people and their families decide that supported living homes are the better care option for their loved ones.
The process of transitioning from residential care to supported living can be a challenge. Therefore, all transitions need to be done as smoothly as possible, following a pace each individual can manage. At Nurseline Community Services, we have a team of extensively trained professionals who can identify and recognise every individual’s challenges, making the transitioning process run naturally and spontaneously.
Our first and foremost priority is to preserve the dignity, respect and peace of mind of every individual transitioning from residential care to their new home. We make sure to provide as much time as necessary for the person to adapt to the change, fostering strong and trusting relationships with every individual we support and their family.
Who Is Supported Living Suitable For?
Supported living benefits people who need additional assistance in gaining independence in the familiarity of their own homes. Today, most people and their families opt for supported living services to stay closer to their loved ones and enjoy a sense of safety and belonging.
Here are some examples of people who can benefit from supported living services:
- People with learning disabilities
- People with Autism
- People neurodevelopmental differences
- People with mental health challenges
- People with physical disabilities
- Older members of the community who require support
- Adults and young people in residential care transitioning to independent living
With supported living, every person feels valued and respected, whether you choose supported living homes or your family home.
What are the Benefits of Supported Living?
Supported living promotes and protects people’s human rights and helps people feel safe and protected in every aspect.
In addition, here are some of the benefits that supported living provides:
- More independent living
- Bespoke care plans designed to your individual needs and requirements
- Round-the-clock care and support
- Receiving care and support from trained professionals
- Living in your own home tailored to your needs
- Emotional support
- Increased self-confidence
How Nurseline Community Services Can Help with Supported Living
People with complex care needs and mental health challenges turn to Nurseline Community Services due to our proactive support and fast crisis management solutions. We are the first port of call whenever a person experiences a crisis situation, and we are always available for support.
Our team is an expert in making transitioning process run smoothly, ensuring safety and peace of mind for individuals and their families. Our clinicians are trained in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) and are highly trained in managing every situation with a person-centred and humanised approach.
Our goal is to promote independent living by implementing proactive strategies to meet people’s needs and achieve positive outcomes. For more information, contact us here or visit our offices in Bristol, Birmingham, and Gloucester.
