Gary Brown, 27, recently moved into supported living for the first time after being in residential care since he was 18. This is his story of how he was excited to live a life of independence and make new friends with the support of Endurance Care.
I didn’t feel that residential homes ever suited me, as the location of my home made me feel really restricted and I never had very much in common with the other service users.
So, when Endurance Care were able to provide me with the opportunity to move into a brand new supported living service in Kent, I was very excited, as it meant I could explore a new place and meet new people.
In May, I moved into Rectory House, as Robins Avenue was having it’s finishing touches done to it.
I was made to feel so welcomed at Rectory House, I got along with everyone and joined in with the activities at Woodside Day service such as swimming, bowling and park visits.
To help with my transition into Robins Avenue, I got to know some of the staff members that were going to be working with me there. They helped me look around Robins House during its renovation and I got to choose my own bedroom for when I move in!
One week later, I finally moved into my new home at 39 Robins Avenue, and with the help of staff, I moved all my belongings in and went shopping to choose all the new furniture such as kitchen items, new curtains and some personal shopping.
I built my bed independently and helped the staff with building the dining table and the sofa, for which they praised me for being so polite and helpful.
I have been exploring the new area as I have not lived in this part of Kent before. I travel independently on the bus and like spending time in Maidstone, especially the library and the town centre.
After living alone in the house for a few weeks, I was so excited when Darren, 22, and Ashley, 21, moved in at the end of the month. We all worked together to help build the beds and other furniture, and we all got on really well.
We’re already talking about what activities we could do together!
After having some problems with alcohol in the past, the move to Robins Avenue and has really helped me with overcoming these struggles and I am thankful for the support Endurance Care have provided.
They have helped me with managing my health and well-being and provided me with a monthly budgeting form which helps me see my spending.
Now that I have settled in, I am really enjoying having more independence and being able to live a more responsible life in a home I can now call my own.