Paula* arrived at Yew Tree Lodge with a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder. She had a history of mood unpredictability over the two years prior to her admission at Yew Tree Lodge. Paula had previously suffered sexual abuse and the loss of her long term partner, as well as taking drugs and alcohol prior to her admission.
Paula’s mood was very unstable when she arrived at Yew Tree Lodge and the staff team gave her a lot of emotional support.
How Yew Tree Lodge has supported Paula
In the first year at Yew Tree Lodge, we had daily and several serious incidents involving Paula. This included absconding, and physical altercations with staff and other residents.
The staff team continued to work with Paula and managed to engage her with groups, such as art and cooking. We had several review meetings and felt Paula would benefit from a change of medication after a discussion with the consultant psychiatrist.
Achieving positive outcomes
Following the alterations to her medication, there were significant positive changes in Paula’s mood and behaviours. She is now engaged with classes at the local recovery college and is active in all aspects of her care.
Paula has also recently started self-medicating, in preparation for moving on from Yew Tree Lodge. We are delighted with the progress Paula has made and she is currently getting ready to transition into her own accommodation in a shared house, with a few floating support hours daily.
*Name and images have been changed to maintain confidentiality.