One example I can give is the planning of the menu for the week, something seemingly small, but something everyone is interested in and a good place to start building on new skills for staff and the men we support.
The staff team used to choose the food for the week and input from the men who live at The Cherries was minimal.
But things have changed… with support from my Senior Support Worker, Caroline, we now have food pictures from lasagne to sprouts to cheese on toast. Google images have played a part in this, along with the pictures from the Great Interactions notice board.
Food choices are now available to all in a format that everyone understands. As a group we sit together and plan not only the menu, but what’s going on the shopping list. The team facilitate well, being particularly creative and responsive to support the men to consider some healthier combinations of food. The best thing is- everyone has a say.
We reflect as a team and Val, a Support Worker, recently said that she felt we were doing so much better as the men are making real choices and speaking up. Choices for some of the men we support are not easy to make, but through careful observation we are now able to support each person with choosing things they like as well as offering and introducing new flavours and textures - stuffed peppers being one new experience. People’s choices and preferences are now recorded, but we know tastes change so we will keep checking and updating, always learning and trying to facilitate well.
As they say 'pictures speak louder than words'- even this menu planning is not perfect yet, but it’s a start and we feel the only way is up… And that is exactly where we are heading!
Stuart Murphy
Frontline Manager
The Cherries