Today is day four in my new care home. On day four in the home I moved to last year, I was forcefully “helped” (more like dragged) to my room, left alone for most of the shift and expected to almost completely independently walk around the home because “the more independent you become, the less bothered you’ll feel by us [= staff]”.
By contrast, today, I made my first simple polymer clay creation, a planet charm. I tried my hand at polymer clay at the old care home for the first time after two weeks, but it was discontinued because it took too much time. Then I couldn’t work with polymer clay again until my day schedule was created in December. In other words, I did something today I couldn’t do at my old care home until significant improvements were made.
Should I compare my current experience to the improved experience at my old care home? No, I don’t think so. After all, I’m still adjusting here, something I never did there. Chances are things will improve here too as I learn to adapt or my staff adapt to me or both. I hope so.
Because, to be honest, it’s better than my early days at the old care home, but I’m still struggling significantly. For one thing, my one-on-one, despite what the behavior specialist responsible for my old care home had said, did get cut. It started today and this meant I had to spend a significant amount of the day either in the living room or alone in my room. I am giving it a serious chance of working out, but it’s really hard. Hopefully, I will be able to acknowledge when I turn out to be capable of handling more than I expected and the staff will be able to accommodate me should I not be able to.
A Multitude of Musings 
Well: for you as well as for the staff it’ll be a ‘learning curve’. No
idea, whether they worked with people who have a visual impairment
before. When I get new friends I have to help them by indicating how
they can do things best and how they can handle me best.
Good luck anyway in your new home!
Roelie
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Thank you. I don’t think they’ve ever worked with blind people before indeed, but this is a good thing. In my old home, there was one resident who had a visual impairment too and I was constantly compared to him, like “he can do ___ so you should too”.
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Wishing you all the best in your new home Astrid.
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Thanks so much!
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You’re welcome
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I’m so glad to hear that so far things seem to mostly be going well for you in the new home. It’s really great that you’ve already been able to create something out of polymer clay there and I hope you’ll be able to do it a lot more often now. Sucks that they did cut off your one-on-one after all though and I’m sure it must be very hard getting used to a new place with less support than you feel you need.
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Thank you. I’m so glad I was able to work with polymer clay indeed. The cut to my one-on-one does suck, but I’m hopeful that things will work out one way or another: either I’ll be able to cope with my current amount of support (and hopefully it won’t be cut further down, as it wasn’t cut by the full two hours my old home support coordinator warned me of), or they’ll be able to figure out a way to provide me the hours I need.
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It sounds positive! I am glad you have been able to do some crafting.
Everything is still new for you, you are bound to be struggling but it sounds like you are giving it a real chance. Good luck. x
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Thank you so much. I’m glad I was able to do some crafting indeed.
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You are in my thoughts and prayers. May this new place bring you comfort and happiness. ((HUGS))
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Thanks so much! I really hope for comfort and eventually happiness indeed.
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Hey Astrid, I just came across this old post of yours in my inbox, It sounds as though you made great improvements even during the first week in your new care home!
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I did. Compared to the intensive support home, this home is much better. I also realize it’ll never get even remotely close to the situation in Raalte because of all the temp workers, the fact that somehow my one-on-one got cut (or I was spoiled back then), etc. I’m trying to be grateful for the little things.
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