JeanneA Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Hi.Glen's been away for over 10 days now at Pontins holiday camp in Wales, he's back at the care home this weekend. They go there every year for a holiday but this year it was brought forward early due to severe flooding at the care home and it just wasn't liveable for a while. Glen was extremely unsettled with having to move out as you can imagine, being a person of 'routine' and not taking to having to move out suddenly, which is what happened; 'more of an emergency situation'. However, Glen did settled down at Pontins I've been in touch with staff since he's been there. I'm sure Glen will be pleased to be back at the home today though back to his usual routine again :-0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Glad that Glen settled down in the end and is back at his familiar home. I do think, though, that it's quite important for people who crave routine to sometimes be forced into these sudden situations where everything is changed. I know that sounds strange, but I think it's important that they do come to realize that they do survive and they can cope when things change suddenly and that things do work out okay in the end. If they have their routines continually and never experience sudden and unexpected changes then it just makes it all the harder when they do occur, as they must at some time. We've been training our lad to use a short train journey home on his own and we were very worried about what would happen if one day the train was cancelled for some reason. Well, low and behold, it was cancelled the other week and it was a very important lesson for our lad to learn, that he can cope and that it isn't the end of the world, so next time it won't be such a big worry and we'll know that he can survive it. All the best as always. ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Hi Mel yes I can see your point about our youngsters needing to be forced into unfamiliar situations at times it probably is a good thing. I guess as a Mum I was worried especially with him being so far away from me as I know him so well. He's done well though to have coped with this, the staff were very pleased with him. :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Yes, it is worrying and stressful for us, but worth it in the long-run sometimes as it helps them to develop more flexibility and leaves them better able to cope with other situations that may occur in the future. Upsetting, but all good learning experience. When my lad texted me to say the train was cancelled and I called him back, he was in a bit of a state and my first instinct was to jump in the car and rush off to rescue him. But I decided not to do that and gave him a couple of choices; he could either buy himself a KitKat and a drink and magazine and wait for the next train (an hour and a half!), he could go for a walk and come back later or he could walk to the bus stop and get the bus home (something he'd never done on his own before, and would have taken longer than an hour and a half anyway!). Once he'd calmed down, he decided he'd buy a drink and some sweets, go for a little walk along the canal and come back in time for the next train. When he eventually got home, he was okay, quite calm. I, on the other hand, had been a stressy wreck worrying about how he was coping!! ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Hi Mel sounds like it all worked out well for your son I can understand him worrying about how his Mum was coping though its understandable, sadly Glen wouldn't be able to worry about how I would be coping in fact he wouldn't even be able to catch a train in any case on his own, but good for your son though, it was a great experience for him you should be very proud :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Haha, no, no, you misunderstand, it was ME worrying about how HE was coping, he'd never give my worrying a second thought, wouldn't cross his mind! ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 7, 2012 If i can understand the reasons for any change then i can deal with it better. When you are constantly overloaded then there is no such thing as a small change. If it was that small it wouldnt be upsetting me. The short term memory blocks are what cause the confusion and upset over these changes, gradually with omega 3 oils, avoiding gluten, dairy and other rubbish from my diet and keeping me as relaxed as possible the issues are becoming less of a problem. Oh and im almost the complete opposite to routine, im totally out of routine and im unable to form new routines due to being in a difficult situation, major crisis with service provision (or lack of) hoping the 7 meetings this week will sort that out (and avoid overloading me at the same time). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Sorry Mel I misunderstood what you said Hi trekster do let us know how these meetings go this week, I'm sure everything will work out ok, it must be worrying for you. We will be thinking of you and I'm sure there will be a positive outcome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 7, 2012 cheers JeanneA and pleased Glen is doing well in his care home. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 7, 2012 Thats ok trekster, my fingers will be crossed for you :=)) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisac Report post Posted July 8, 2012 Hi Jeanne, your son sounds just like mine. In the past my son would have self injured should any transition,routine, staff (or maybe how it was handled etc) change. Now he is older or i am wiser this doesnt happen ( fingers crossed) famous last words and all that ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 8, 2012 Hi Lisa hope you are ok. I can relate with what you are saying and sadly Glen had a bad day today, I think all the recent sudden changes have caught up with him. He was hitting out a lot today and put his had through a glass door, cut his finger but was ok. :-( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 8, 2012 i hope it passes off soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 9, 2012 Thanks trekter :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted July 10, 2012 anytime and also my best wishes to anyone else who has their kids going into a care home. Watched a recap of the 'when i get older' series and thought "this is life for many autistics". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted July 10, 2012 Yes sadly this is the case trekster for a lot of autistics, I would never be able to manage Glen at home anymore, I'm not strong enough to cope with his rages and neither is my husband as he suffers with depression. So this was our only choice, we wanted to make sure Glen was safe and everyone around was safe which wasn't the case when he was living at home, particularly the 2 years prior to him going into the home. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
