CASE STUDies
Case Study 1
JF lives with a condition called Myotonic dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness. She resides in residential care and, in recent years, has experienced mobility issues. She is sociable and loves quizzes and music. However, she has struggled with the age gap between herself and her fellow residents. RP Advocates has supported her in getting out of her home, introducing her to local organisations and a new friendship group of adults her own age.
"I joined RP Advocates in 2022. I have made some new friends and enjoy everything we do as a group. The group has changed my life, giving me a social life, and the advocates are very kind and helpful if you need assistance with anything.
​
I haven't ever had opportunities like this before, and there is always something on my calendar. Celebrating birthdays with everyone is particularly enjoyable. I am always happy to meet up with group members and go out for an evening to socialise."
​
Case Study 2
​
AS is autistic, though not diagnosed until twenty-five, which meant his education and special needs were not properly supported. He suffered greatly, spending time as an inpatient at the Royal Free Hospital Psychiatric Unit before being admitted to Bethlem Psychiatric Hospital for two years. He now lives in a residential home, supported by RP Advocates.
​
He loves painting, films and music attends art classes twice a week, and has won several Koestler Foundation prizes.
​
A struggles with high anxiety, often fixating on worries and needing constant reassurance. Once one anxiety subsides, another takes its place. His grooming is sometimes inadequate.
​
He feels secure where he lives, as staff provide reassurance. While he doesn’t form friendships, he finds comfort in the presence of other residents.
​
A’s family includes his mother, sister, and brother-in-law. His mother takes him out weekly, and he also sees his sister and brother-in-law. With his advocates, he enjoys visits to art galleries, gigs, walking and conversation.
​
Case Study 3
IS has a mild learning disability and lives independently in London. Diagnosed as autistic at four, he attended two special needs schools before moving to a boarding school in north-west England at 11. There, he made significant progress in reading, maths, and social skills.
​
After five years, he returned home with improved behaviour and strong memory skills in specific areas. He pursued further education in computing, literacy, and numeracy. With support from Kith & Kids, he worked at the GLC for seven years, then the ILEA for five, before spending eleven years at Islington Council. He has since worked for many years at a solicitors' firm in central London.
​
RP Advocates’ support has been life-changing, replacing much of the help once provided by his family. He now relies on advocates for decisions about clothing, home furnishings, computer issues, and domestic concerns, easing the burden on his family.
​
His family remain involved, but their peace of mind depends on RP’s continued support as his safety net.
​
Case Study 4
RR was a bright, energetic eight-year-old when she fell into a six-month coma in 1977 after a night of seizures. Her illness was never diagnosed, but the lasting effects included severe epilepsy, brain damage, loss of speech, and behavioural changes. Her parents struggled to cope, and she moved into a residential special needs school.
​
She now lives in a residential home for adults with additional needs, funded by her Local Authority. While the home provides a warm and caring environment, it meets only her basic needs, and she requires additional support.
​
RP Advocates visit her weekly, taking her for walks, lunch, or art therapy when she prefers to stay in. These visits bring her great joy.
​
Knowing R well, her advocates represent her at medical and social service reviews, ensuring her needs and wishes are heard. This support is invaluable to her family, especially as her parents age.
​
By communicating R’s feelings to care staff, doctors, and social workers, her advocates improve her quality of life. They also update her family after each visit, a vital connection for her brother, who lives over 150 miles away. Photographs included in these reports help keep the family close.
Case Study 5 (sibling testimonial)
RP Advocates have been an amazing support to us as the brother and sister-in-law of an adult sibling with learning disability. We both have full time jobs and a family of our own, so although we are very involved with our sibling, RP have been invaluable in providing extra care and back-up when needed. This has included helping us to obtain benefits for her, taking her to GP and hospital appointments during a recent episode of ill health, helping her to set up a new mobile phone, teaching her to use Zoom for social calls and introducing her to a local community group that provides activities for adults with learning disability.
​
Much more than just the practical, our sibling has a wonderful social life through RP: regular theatre trips, birthday meals with other RP service users, outings to the country and visits to places of interest.
RP Advocates visit our sibling at least once a week. They interact regularly with her and are thus the ears and eyes on how well her care is working. Even with the best worked-out plans, changes in carers, management of the accommodation in which she lives and unforeseen events can be disruptive and necessitate extra support, which the RP Advocates are always able to help with.
The Advocates, together with the collective wisdom that comes from other RP family members, with whom we meet quarterly to discuss issues, have proven invaluable in ensuring that our sibling lives her best life and that caring for her is not the burden it could easily become.
Importantly, we know that should we predecease her, our children will have the continuity that RP provides to continue to support our sibling for as long as required.