When Abbi was able to have her home set up to meet her needs, and to have autonomy over how she engages with her surroundings and support network, she began to thrive.

Abbi is on the Autism Spectrum and some of her support needs can be complex at times. She communicates in non-traditional ways and often used her behaviour as a way to communicate. This sometimes meant that she harmed herself or her surroundings when she was struggling to get her needs met.

Her family was looking for a new home for Abbi in her community. Because of Abbi’s sometimes complex needs, the Department of Community Services (DCS) was offering her a placement at an institution more than 200 kms away from her family and the community she grew up in. This is not what her team felt Abbi would want and it was not what her family wanted.

Instead, HCRS put together a plan to support Abbi in her community of choice with Special Funding from DCS. Once HCRS started to support Abbi, we realized how great of an impact her self-harm had on her. We began to focus on her needs and wants rather than just managing her behavior, and that made a world of difference. With advice from an Occupational Therapist, we put together a plan to build a routine that better met her needs. We found that walking every morning before breakfast was a great workout for her. She absolutely loves picking flowers, digging for bugs and worms! We use communication tools that work well for her and make sure that her sensory needs are met. This helps her prevent sensory overload so she is able to regulate her emotions without self-harming.

Abbi has moved into a home that has specifically been renovated and designed to meet her physical and emotional support needs. The staff who work with Abbi know her and her needs well so they are setting her up for success in the way that works for her. When she first moved in, having people cooking in the home was often overstimulating for Abbi so meals were often prepared at night. Abbi now enjoys helping to cook many of her meals and has increased her independence in the kitchen. She is enjoying attending many community events, attending HCRS’s Social Connect Group, and spending time with her family. When Abbi was able to have her home set up to meet her needs, and to have autonomy over how she engages with her surroundings and support network, she began to thrive.