Paul* has a learning disability and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), and moved to Laburnum House in 2001 when he was 31 years old. This was during a period of his life when he was struggling to cope with having PWS. The condition means that Paul experiences the sensation of being continuously hungry, regardless of how much he has eaten. When Paul arrived at our service, he was eighteen stone and very much at risk of the associated health conditions that accompanied PWS, including diabetes.
How we have supported Paul
Once at Laburnum House, Paul was supported to manage his weight and the distressing sensation of feeling continuously hungry, by specially trained staff and health professionals. Diets and structure were developed in a person-centred fashion with Paul, so he maintained control over his own life. This involved supporting Paul to appreciate time, portion control and the need for healthy structure and exercise. This required good communication with in-house positive behaviour support (PBS) specialists, NHS community nursing, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, as well as enthusiastic and experienced support staff. As a result, Paul has lost seven stone and continues to manage the symptoms of PWS well, to the extent that he enjoys preparing his own food.
We are delighted with Paul’s progress and this is just one example of someone benefiting from the person-centred support that we provide at Laburnum House.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.