Our model of 'Involved Assistance' is based on the notion of 'Active Support'. We have devised and revised our personal experiences and specifics of our residents needs and the term 'Involved Assistance' was created.  

The key to daily living is that no two days are ever the same. Every day has a new opportunity and that is certainly how we promote things here at Segal Gardens.

The level of support each person requires varies and the importance is developing a skill mix to promote the best outcomes for our service users.

Involved assistance changes the style of support from ‘caring for’ to ‘working with’, it promotes independence and supports people to take an active part in their own lives. The support given to the person is also active. This Support enables people with learning disabilities to live ordinary lives.

Involved Assistance is based on the core concept of interpersonal development.  The diagram indicates the key areas that will be explored within this document.

The key to Interpersonal Development is all about putting the service user first. This is called person centred care. Now watch the following video and answer the questions below.

“The relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.”
Robert Holden

It’s important to evaluate the relationship you have with yourself. Ask yourself: would you speak to someone else the way you speak about yourself?

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” Audre Lorde

Self-care is about looking after yourself and your mental health. The relationship you have with yourself is crucial to your own wellbeing and also to creating healthy and happy relationships with others. Being kind to yourself regularly is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Self-care is important. How do you give yourself positivity and acceptance? How do you stop comparing yourself to others and feeling less a person as a result?

The answer is simple! Allow yourself to accept you and consider your friends, family and extended associates.

It’s all about self care. For some, self-care might be taking time to rest each week; for others, it may be sweating it out at the gym or going for a run outside. Self-care could be going for a walk in your neighbourhood, spending time in nature, or seeing or speaking to friends regularly.

Self awareness is hugely significant to your role. That allows you to connect with others,

Self awareness is hugely significant to your role. That allows you to connect with others, develop empathy and understand the importance of positive thinking.

Positive and negative thoughts can become self-fulfilling prophecies: what we expect can often come true.

If you start off thinking you will mess up a task, the chances are that you will: you may not try hard enough to succeed, you won't attract support from other people, and you may not perceive any results as good enough.

Positive thinking, on the other hand, is often associated with positive actions and outcomes. You're drawn to, and you focus on, the positive aspects of a situation. You have hope and faith in yourself and others, and you work and invest hard to prove that your optimism is warranted. You'll enthuse others, and they may well "pitch in" to help you. This makes constructive outcomes all the more likely.

When it comes down to it, positive, optimistic people are happier and healthier, and enjoy more success than those who think negatively. The key difference between them is how they think about and interpret the events in their life.

One of the biggest challenges we experience in relationships is that we are all different.

We can perceive the world in many ways. Certainly, a stumbling block that we come across when we try to build relationships is a desire or an expectation that people will think like we do and, in this way, it is so much easier to create a rapport.

Life, however, would be very dull if we were all the same and, while we may find it initially easier, the novelty of sameness soon would wear off. So, accepting and celebrating that we are all different is a great starting point

Active or reflective listening is the single most useful and important listening skill. In active listening, we also are genuinely interested in understanding what the other person is thinking, feeling, wanting, or what the message means, and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own new message. We restate or paraphrase our understanding of their message and reflect it back to the sender for verification. This verification or feedback process is what distinguishes active listening and makes it effective.

Give people your time. Giving time to people is also a huge gift. In a world where time is of the essence and we are trying to fit in more than one lifetime, we don’t always have the time to give to our loved ones, friends, and work colleagues. Being present in the time you give to people is also important, so that, when you are with someone, you are truly with someone and not dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. The connection we make with other people is the very touchstone of our existence, and devoting time, energy, and effort to developing and building relationships is one of the most valuable life skills.

DEVELOP YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication occurs when someone understands you, not just when you speak. One of the biggest dangers with communication is that we can work on the assumption that the other person has understood the message we are trying to get across.

Poor communication in the workplace can lead to a culture of back stabbing and blame, which, in turn, can affect our stress levels, especially when we don’t understand something or feel we have been misled. It also can have a positive effect on morale when it works well and motivates individuals to want to come into work and do a great job.
Learn to give and take feedback.

Feedback is the food of progress, and while it may not always taste great, it can be very good for you. The ability to provide constructive feedback to others helps them to tap into their personal potential and can help to forge positive and mutually beneficial relationships. From your own personal perspective, any feedback you receive is free information and you can choose whether you want to take it on board or not. It can help you to tap into your blind spot and get a different perspective.
Develop empathy.

“PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.”

Empathy and understanding builds connection between people. It is a state of perceiving and relating to another person’s feelings and needs without blaming, giving advice, or trying to fix the situation. Empathy also means “reading” another person’s inner state and interpreting it in a way that will help the other person and offer support and develop mutual trust.
Every relationship we have can teach us something, and by building positive relationships with others, we will be happier and more fulfilled and feel more supported, supportive, and connected.