Supporting People to Build Skills, Make Choices and Live Meaningful Lives

At AKM Care, we believe that receiving care and support should not mean losing independence, choice or connection with the wider community.

For many people, the right support can create opportunities to develop skills, build confidence, maintain important relationships and become more involved in everyday life.

Our role is not simply to complete tasks for the people we support.

Where appropriate, our role is to work alongside the individual, providing the level of assistance they need while encouraging them to maintain and develop their own abilities.

Independence will look different for every person.

For one individual, independence might mean travelling into the community with minimal assistance.

For another, it may mean choosing their own clothes, preparing part of a meal or communicating a preference.

Both are meaningful achievements.

Our approach is therefore based on the individual’s abilities, needs, wishes and personal goals.

What Does Independence Really Mean?

Independence does not necessarily mean doing everything without support.

A person can receive significant care while still having control over important parts of their life.

Independence can mean:

Making choices
Expressing preferences
Participating in everyday tasks
Developing skills
Managing personal belongings
Maintaining relationships
Accessing the community
Taking part in meaningful activities
Setting personal goals
Having privacy
Being involved in decisions
Taking reasonable and managed risks

The aim is to provide the right support without unnecessarily taking control away from the individual.

Understanding Existing Skills and Abilities

Before encouraging greater independence, it is important to understand what the individual can already do.

An assessment may consider abilities in areas such as:

Personal care
Dressing
Communication
Cooking
Shopping
Cleaning
Laundry
Mobility
Money management
Medication
Travel
Social interaction
Community access
Using technology
Attending appointments
Managing personal belongings

Staff can then identify which areas require full assistance, which require prompting or supervision and which can be completed independently.

This helps prevent people from being over-supported.

Avoiding Unnecessary Dependence

Providing too much assistance can sometimes unintentionally reduce a person’s independence.

If staff automatically complete every task, the individual may have fewer opportunities to practise or maintain important skills.

For example, rather than automatically making a person’s drink, staff might support them to:

Choose the drink they want.
Collect the cup.
Prepare the drink themselves where safe.
Ask for assistance only with the parts they find difficult.

The amount of support should always reflect the person’s assessed abilities.

The principle is simple:

Support where support is needed — encourage independence where independence is possible.

Developing Daily Living Skills

Everyday tasks offer valuable opportunities for developing independence.

Depending on the person’s abilities and goals, support may focus on:

Cooking

Individuals may participate in:

Choosing meals
Planning menus
Preparing ingredients
Cooking
Serving food
Cleaning afterwards

Support can be increased or reduced depending on the person’s skills and safety.

Shopping

Shopping can help develop a range of abilities including:

Making choices
Creating a shopping list
Understanding money
Comparing products
Communicating with others
Navigating the community

For some individuals, shopping may initially require full staff support and later become more independent.

Laundry

People may be supported to:

Sort clothing
Operate a washing machine
Fold clothes
Put clothes away
Recognise when clothing requires washing
Household Tasks

Participation may include:

Making the bed
Tidying personal space
Washing dishes
Organising belongings
Light cleaning

These activities can help people develop confidence and ownership of their living environment.

Personal Care and Self-Care

People should be encouraged to participate in their personal care as much as reasonably possible.

Depending on individual needs, this may involve:

Washing
Bathing or showering
Dressing
Oral hygiene
Hair care
Choosing clothes
Toileting
Skin care

Some individuals require full support.

Others may need reminders.

Some may only require assistance with a specific part of the task.

The objective is to maintain dignity while supporting the person’s abilities.

Making Everyday Choices

Choice is closely connected to independence.

People should have opportunities to influence their everyday lives.

This might include choosing:

Clothes
Meals
Drinks
Activities
Bedtimes
Social arrangements
Television programmes
Music
Community outings
Bedroom decoration
Personal purchases
How they spend free time

Staff should avoid assuming that they know what a person wants simply because they know the person well.

Where possible, the individual should continue to be asked and involved.

Setting Personal Goals

Personal goals give support direction and purpose.

Goals should be meaningful to the individual rather than simply created because a care plan requires them.

Examples could include:

Learning to cook a meal
Going shopping more independently
Developing communication skills
Joining a local activity
Improving confidence
Managing some personal spending
Using public transport
Attending an appointment with less support
Developing friendships
Learning household skills
Starting volunteering
Attending education or training

Goals should be realistic, measurable where appropriate and reviewed over time.

Breaking Goals into Achievable Steps

Some goals may initially seem difficult.

Breaking them into smaller stages can make progress more achievable.

For example, if someone’s goal is to shop independently, the stages might include:

Stage One

Visit the shop accompanied by staff.

Stage Two

Choose items independently while staff remain nearby.

Stage Three

Pay for items with prompting.

Stage Four

Complete more of the journey and transaction independently.

Stage Five

Review whether further independence is safe and appropriate.

Progress should occur at the individual’s pace.

There should be no unnecessary pressure.

Confidence and Positive Encouragement

Confidence often develops through experience.

People may initially feel unsure about trying something new.

Supportive encouragement can help individuals recognise what they are capable of achieving.

Staff can help by:

Giving clear instructions
Breaking activities into manageable steps
Providing reassurance
Avoiding unnecessary criticism
Recognising progress
Giving the person enough time
Allowing opportunities to try again
Gradually reducing support where appropriate

The objective should not be perfection.

It should be progress that is meaningful to the person.

Community Inclusion

A care home should be part of the wider community rather than separate from it.

Where appropriate, individuals should have opportunities to access their local area and participate in ordinary community life.

This may include:

Shopping
Cafés
Restaurants
Libraries
Parks
Leisure centres
Community centres
Places of worship
Cinema trips
Local events
Hairdressers
Health appointments
Clubs
Education
Volunteering
Visiting family
Social activities

Being part of the community can support confidence, relationships and a sense of belonging.

Meaningful Activities

Activities should be based on the person’s interests.

Not everyone enjoys large group activities.

Some people may prefer:

Music
Walking
Cooking
Gardening
Games
Technology
Art
Exercise
Films
Reading
Photography
Shopping
Going for coffee
Visiting local attractions
Spending time with family

Others may prefer quieter individual activities.

A meaningful activity is one that matters to the individual.

Maintaining Relationships

Social relationships are important to quality of life.

Where appropriate, people should be supported to maintain contact with:

Family
Friends
Partners
Advocates
Community members
Faith groups

Support may involve:

Arranging visits
Helping with telephone calls
Video calls
Planning family outings
Supporting attendance at celebrations
Helping individuals maintain contact safely

Maintaining relationships can help reduce isolation and provide important emotional support.

Developing New Relationships

Community participation may also create opportunities to meet new people.

Individuals may develop relationships through:

Community groups
Activities
Education
Volunteering
Faith communities
Leisure activities

Staff should support social inclusion while respecting individual preferences and personal boundaries.

Not everyone wants frequent social interaction.

Choice remains important.

Money and Financial Independence

Depending on the individual’s abilities and circumstances, support may be required with managing money.

This might involve:

Understanding prices
Making purchases
Budgeting
Keeping receipts
Identifying coins and notes
Using bank cards
Planning spending

Financial support must also include appropriate safeguards.

Individuals should be protected from financial abuse while retaining as much control over their own money as reasonably possible.

Travel and Transport

Being able to travel can significantly increase someone’s independence.

Depending on the person, support may include:

Walking familiar routes
Road safety
Using buses
Using trains
Booking transport
Recognising landmarks
Using travel applications
Planning journeys

Some people will always require staff support.

Others may gradually become able to complete familiar journeys with less assistance.

Any progression should be carefully assessed and planned.

Health Independence

People should also be supported to become involved in managing their own health where appropriate.

This may involve:

Understanding appointments
Choosing healthy meals
Exercising
Recognising when they feel unwell
Communicating pain
Understanding medication
Attending health checks
Following professional advice

Accessible communication may be needed to help people understand health information.

Communication and Independence

A person cannot exercise meaningful choice if they do not have an effective way to communicate.

Communication support may therefore be central to independence.

This can include:

Easy-read information
Visual prompts
Pictures
Symbols
Written choices
Communication devices
Gestures
Giving additional processing time

Staff should learn how each person communicates and recognise changes that may indicate discomfort, distress or an unmet need.

Positive Risk-Taking

Independence inevitably involves some risk.

If every activity that carries risk is prevented, people may have very limited opportunities to develop.

Good support involves balancing:

Safety + Rights + Choice + Independence

For example, learning to cook involves potential risks.

Rather than simply preventing someone from using a kitchen, it may be possible to:

Assess the risk
Provide appropriate equipment
Teach skills
Introduce activities gradually
Supervise initially
Review progress
Reduce support if appropriate

This allows the person to develop while risks are responsibly managed.

Safeguarding While Promoting Independence

Promoting independence does not mean ignoring safeguarding responsibilities.

People should be protected from:

Abuse
Neglect
Exploitation
Financial abuse
Discrimination
Avoidable harm

Staff should remain alert to safeguarding concerns while respecting the individual’s rights.

The aim should be protection without unnecessary restriction.

Supporting People Through Setbacks

Progress is not always continuous.

A person may develop a skill and later require more assistance.

Changes in:

Physical health
Mental health
Confidence
Medication
Environment
Relationships

may affect someone’s independence.

A setback should not automatically be seen as failure.

Support plans can be adjusted and goals reconsidered.

Reviewing Progress

Progress towards independence should be reviewed regularly.

This may involve considering:

Skills developed
Goals achieved
Areas where less support is required
Areas requiring additional support
New interests
Changes in risk
The individual’s own feedback
Feedback from families
Professional recommendations

As someone’s abilities develop, their care plan should develop with them.

Family and Professional Partnership

Families and professionals can contribute valuable information about someone’s abilities and previous experiences.

Where appropriate, we work alongside:

Families
Social workers
GPs
Community teams
Occupational therapists
Learning disability teams
Mental health professionals
Other healthcare professionals

Working together can help provide consistent support and realistic goals.

What Good Independence Support Can Achieve

Appropriate support may help individuals achieve:

Greater Confidence

Success with everyday activities can increase self-belief.

Improved Daily Living Skills

People may become more involved in cooking, shopping, cleaning and personal care.

Greater Choice

Individuals can have more control over everyday decisions.

Stronger Communication

People may become more confident expressing preferences and needs.

Increased Community Participation

Individuals can become more involved in local activities and services.

Meaningful Relationships

Community access can help maintain and develop social connections.

Improved Wellbeing

Having purpose, choice and meaningful activities can support emotional wellbeing.

Reduced Dependence

Some people may gradually require less support in specific areas.

Our Approach at AKM Care

At AKM Care, we aim to support independence through five key principles.

Empowerment

Encouraging people to participate in decisions and everyday activities.

Choice

Giving individuals genuine opportunities to express preferences.

Skill Development

Helping people maintain existing abilities and learn new ones.

Community Inclusion

Supporting access to meaningful community activities and relationships.

Safe Independence

Managing risks appropriately without creating unnecessary restrictions.

Supporting People to Live Their Own Lives

Residential care should not simply be about providing somewhere to live.

It should provide an environment where individuals can continue to grow, make choices, develop relationships and participate in everyday life.

Our aim is to help each person achieve the level of independence that is meaningful and appropriate for them.

For some people that may involve significant progress towards independent living.

For others it may involve smaller everyday achievements.

What matters is that progress is judged according to the individual — not according to someone else’s expectations.

At AKM Care, we want the people we support to feel:

Capable.
Confident.
Included.
Respected.
Supported.
Empowered.

Looking for a Supportive Residential Placement?

We welcome enquiries and referrals from:

Local Authorities
NHS teams
Social workers
Community Mental Health Teams
Learning Disability Teams
Hospital discharge teams
Case managers
Healthcare professionals
Existing care providers
Families and representatives

Our team can discuss the person’s current needs, independence goals and support requirements before arranging an assessment.