Roy’s story
Discover Roy's story at Yew Tree Lodge, an man who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Roy is a gentleman in his 50s, who is passionate about writing and cooking. Roy also has a diagnosis of schizophrenia, which has presented a number of challenges for him throughout his life.
After spending some time in hospital receiving treatment, Roy came to Yew Tree Lodge, where he is now working towards a greater level of independence.
Mental health support
Roy has a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, and had previously been admitted numerous times to hospital settings, following various incidents in the community. The symptoms Roy was experiencing sometimes led to him drinking as a way of coping, which was having a negative impact on his life.
After a previous placement didn’t work out for Roy, he was offered a residential placement at Yew Tree Lodge, which provides a supportive environment in a community setting for individuals with mental health needs. When Roy arrived at the service, he began to receive one-to-one support from a dedicated keyworker, and was assigned a core staff team.
At the time, Roy did not like to go out and socialise in the community, and was not motivated to cook. Cooking had previously been important to him, as he had worked in the catering industry in the past. Roy and the team at the home agreed that he would benefit from support with his mental health, physical health and daily living skills, including cooking.
From there, the support team at Yew Tree Lodge worked closely with Roy, his family, placement coordinator and psychiatrist to develop care plans that covered these key areas. The Recovery Star framework is utilised to monitor Roy’s care, set clear goals for him and identify areas for development. This tool has been used to great success, and Roy has come on leaps and bounds since moving to the home.
It feels amazing to be a part of a resident’s recovery journey, and seeing them achieving their recovery goals with your support
Achieving positive outcomes
With input from healthcare professionals and the support and encouragement from his team at Yew Tree Lodge, Roy has since achieved a number of positive outcomes, including quitting smoking and drinking altogether. Now Roy is much more confident in himself and his abilities, and has a more positive outlook, he also takes a leading role in his activities of daily living.
Roy is able to manage his night time medication independently, and he now describes his mental health as stable. He now takes care of his own food shopping, and frequently cooks himself healthy meals from scratch. The development of his cooking skills has been very empowering for Roy, and he is hoping to return to the catering industry in the future.
Roy has also developed strong relationships with other residents and members of the wider community, and he gets involved in a range of activities both within and outside of the home. He is particularly passionate about writing; he loves to visit the library, and has had two of his books published. In the future, Roy hopes to publish another book, which he is already working on, and has also recently applied to an Access programme so he can pursue further education opportunities.
Everyone at Yew Tree Lodge is so proud of Roy’s accomplishments, and are excited to see what he can achieve next.
I am happy that I am at Yew Tree Lodge, I feel safe here and staff have supported me to achieve many goals so far.