In this installment of our Client-Centered, Team-Guided series we’re keeping our community members’ names anonymous per his request but have been given permission to share his story. These in-depth features that introduce you to our amazing clients allow us to share in more detail how they’ve courageously partnered with our team alongside their support system. Our goal in sharing their story is to remind our readers that joy CAN be found in the midst of an illness. Let’s jump in!
His back story…
This 31 year old adult male was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, manic-type in 2018 and had also been diagnosed with bi-polar depression previously. He was referred to Help in the Home (HITH) in 2018 by his psychiatrist upon being discharged from the hospital where he had been admitted for psychiatric reasons.
This client began with Help in the Home in 2018 in our Supported Living Community (SLC) in his late 20s and is now in his early 30s.
Prior to working with HITH, the client’s support system consisted of himself, family and his psychiatrist. However, he has been able to build a support team that’s rallied behind him since he started receiving services from HITH.
To date, this client continues to work with HITH through our Individual Support Services (ISS).
Strengths and Struggles
Our client’s story is a bit different than some of the others we’ve featured. This client is a college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in graphic design and upon graduation was able to find employment. His desire to work and innate talent in design made him quickly hireable, however, his mental health challenges made it difficult for him to maintain a job for more than a few weeks.
Over the course of the last three years, he has worked with several graphic design companies. First, he worked with a graphic design company in Maryland for more than a year while living in the SLC and receiving job coaching and support from his care coordinator. When this job ended shortly after one year of employment, he was supported by his team in deciding to enroll in a 3-month interactive graphic design course in 2019. After graduating in 2020 he was hired by a graphic design company but was later laid off at work due to the pandemic/COVID-19.
He continued to work with HITH during his job hunt and recently managed to land his dream job as a Senior Graphic Designer at one of the nation’s top consultancy firms.
Despite the setbacks and wins, this client never gave up.
Goals and Checkpoints
Our approach to goal setting are evaluated on a monthly basis in collaboration with the client, his HITH team, and treatment provider(s).
Some of our initial goals for this client included:
- restoring his pre-crisis functioning
- medication evaluation & compliance, and
- gainful employment
Perhaps the most meaningful goal the client set for himself was to have the ability to move into his own apartment.
Wins
By now, you’ve likely caught on to the many twists and turns this client has experienced since joining our community. With that being said, his attitude and persistence along the way make him a shining example of finding joy and continuing to make strides despite it all. Some of his wins include:
- Landing a job in his preferred career field as a User Experience Designer with a very reputable company.
- With the support of HITH and his team, he was able to move into his own apartment and live independently from the summer of 2019.
- Realizing their relationship with alcohol was getting in the way of meeting their goals and adjusting his relationship with alcohol using a harm reduction model with the support of his team.
**To date, this client continues to work with HITH through our Individual Support Services (ISS).
His Support Team
During this three year journey, his team has provided various levels of support. Starting with living in the SLC with support 24 hrs daily/ 7 days a week to now living in his own apartment and receiving individual support services twice per month. Throughout these three years he has been living life, enjoying going out with friends, planning family vacations, experiencing the loss of his grandfather, and through it all, Help in the Home remains a touch stone of stability. Together, his team has been able to address challenges and concerns for his well-being and stability. We partnered with a local psychiatrist which was helpful when the client was undergoing a medication change. We’ve also included his individual therapist as part of his team as well as his family. It’s been a pleasure to witness the success of this client as this process has truly embodied our value of client-centered and team guided.
Start living life to the fullest with the help of our caring and dedicated team. To schedule your free consultation, fill out this short form or give us a call at (866) 967-9994.