Spring Lake - Residential Care Home
For Clients who challenge and have complex needs
Situated in Wembley Park, North London, Spring Lake is a residential care home with spacious accommodation over three floors for individuals with moderate to severe autism, learning disabilities, behaviours that challenge, and other complex needs. Spring Lake is particularly suitable for those with severe autism who may be non-verbal and who engage in self-injurious behaviour and property damage.
Spring Lake is a well-established care home with a reputation for the highest standards of care. We provide a warm and supportive environment for our residents coupled with respect for their privacy, individual rights, independence and freedom of choice.
All clients have their own individual care programme and a key worker to respond to their changing needs and requirements, including the accommodation of cultural backgrounds, religious affiliations and age groups.
Spring Lake offers high quality care and support within a strong person-centred non-aversive approach for adult men and women (and young people in transition to adult services) with moderate to severe Autism, resulting in conditions such as Learning Disabilities and other complex needs including:
- Communications deficiency and sensory needs
- Physical impairments
- Mental health problems/challenging behaviour/self injuries
- Epilepsy
All our staff are trained and specialised in autism, learning disabilities and in managing challenging behaviour and diffusing violence. Spring Lake has a proven record of success in working in partnership with clients, carers, and other stakeholders; and in improving the quality of lives we have supported.
Accommodation and Services
Spring Lake is located in beautiful surroundings in north London with easy access to town centre shops, local transport and leisure facilities. We have 12 spacious, comfortably furnished rooms, each with their own character and some with en-suite facilities; and a beautiful landscaped garden. Other facilities include:
- Pre- admission assessment carried out on each client to identify care needs
- Individual care programmes tailored to each client’s needs and requirements with progressive goal setting and regular reviews to respond to changing needs
- 24-hour support
- Choice of freshly prepared, nutritionally balanced meals
- On-site Skills Development Centre to improve independent living skills and communications
- Mini-bus for social outings and community integration and engagement activities
- Sensory room to improve coping strategies and challenging behaviour
- Comprehensive and regular risk assessments
- Access to health care services such as Psychiatrists, Speech Therapists, GPs, Physiotherapists, Occupational therapists and nurses, as required.
Case Study
A Summary of Events regarding Mr E.C.
Mr E.C. was referred to us in August 2008 due to a number of factors.
- Previous placements broke down due to the care homes being non-autism specific and unable to address Mr E.C.’s multiple impairments and meet his needs.
- Severe Behaviours that challenged included rigorous head banging, face slapping, smearing faeces and slapping an eye until it got discoloured and bled.
Mr E. C. is 23 years of age and is diagnosed with Severe Learning Disabilities, Autism and Microcephaly. He is non-verbal but can understand English and his native language Spanish. He can communicate his needs using some Makaton signs and uses large pictures due to his deteriorating eye sight caused by the constant banging of his head and slapping his eyes. To protect his head and eyes he was fitted with a specialised helmet and visor and a suitable person-centre day programme was initiated to address all his needs.
The approach that was used to reduce the above behaviours consisted of our staff initiating proactive strategies within the unit that could also be followed by the parents at home.
The techniques used were strategies approved by the Loddon School and they are called PROACT SCIPr UK alternative therapies, and all our managers and staff are trained in these methods. Some of the techniques used comprise of Touch support for open communication, interaction and reassurance as Mr E.C. likes touch and to have people around him. A soft padded glove was introduced to reduce the impact of the slapping on the face and eyes and the bashing of the head.
At a later stage, a woolly soft hat was introduced to reduce the need for Mr E.C. to wear the helmet and for him to receive some stimulatory effects with the hope that in time the helmet would no longer be needed. The helmet was taken off when Mr E.C. was calm but, when he was challenging again, it was put back on.
There were some issues around Mr E.C.’s mobility as he refused to walk and was constantly using a wheelchair to get around. All medical issues were ruled out for requiring the wheelchair and staff supported Mr E.C. by offering to take him on short walks in the garden which were extended to walks in the parks. The wheelchair was always kept out of sight but it was within close proximity in case the young man got tired. This walking routine was also followed at home and at Mr E.C.’s external Day Centre.
Regarding his smearing of faeces, this was managed by a toilet training programme before and after all meals as part of Mr E.C.’s daily programme. An age appropriate all in one body suit was also used as a preventative short-term strategy for when going out into the community and for night time, in case of accidents.
From 2008 to March 2010, we are pleased to report that all of the above mentioned behaviours that challenged such as head banging, face and eye slapping and smearing of faeces have stopped and, since September 2009, Mr E.C. has no longer worn protective gloves, a woolly hat and all in one body suit. It is a great achievement for Mr E.C. and for all our staff involved in his care and treatment.
At a recent care management review it was stated by Mr E.C.’s mother and other professionals who were present at the review that the great progress made by Mr E.C. is since he has regularly attended respite weekends at Spring Lake.
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