From Café Conversations to Charting His Own Path!
Hey everyone, I'm Simon, a determined gentleman - once we have met you will never forget me! I love a good chat over coffee, where I spill the beans about my passions and life.
Independence is the buzzword, aiming to reclaim the vibrant life I had before my accident. I'm all about learning skills that empower me to do things on my own. So, during a recent review meeting, my enablers asked about my goals for the year. It didn't take much pondering – I'm eager to venture out on my own to different activities. My acquired brain injury adds a dash of unpredictability, but my enablers are amazing. They helped me craft a plan, focusing on achievable goals, and breaking them down into manageable steps.
My mum had already helped me to get an electric wheelchair, this has opened new opportunities for me even though I know I do speed ahead sometimes! I am learning to take things slowly and be a bit more patient, although not always my strong point.
I picked a café to make my own, with a plan in place, I started going there weekly, initially with staff support. Slowly but surely, I integrated into the café crowd, making friends along the way.
Now, for the updates! My enabling team have been accompanying me to places I want to be able to go on my own. A personal favourite – the town centre coffee shop, coffee is my favourite! The enablers gracefully stepped back, allowing me to have some independence. With friendly faces around every corner, there's never a shortage of people to chat with.
Looking ahead, I am hopeful that as I continue to do this, I will increase the number of places I go to without my staff support, opening up opportunities for me to start leading my life the way I want to!
