Whether the discussion is about healthcare, life choices, individuality, or views on the world it is important that they tell their own story and, we are here to support and amplify those voices.

Today, we want you to meet David who recently moved into our Stairways accommodation. His character and sense of humour have already shone through with the rest of our residents and staff members so, we thought it was only right to introduce you to him.

So, without further ado, meet David!

David is a 65-year-old gentleman who currently lives at Stairways. His previous home closed down leaving David looking for the next steppingstone in his life with Stairways being his preferred choice.

After some support from his brother, David decided that Stairways was the right choice for him so, his brother got in touch to see if we could accommodate him. Luckily, we could, and now we can’t imagine it without him!

Not only is Stairways convenient for David’s brother to visit but, he explained that he got on very well with the other staff and residents with everyone being extremely kind.

How important is independence to David?

If you have followed us for a while, you would know the independence of the people we support is extremely important to us. This aligns very well with David’s own thoughts about his independence.

“I like to do things myself. It makes me feel proud when I can do different activities by myself whether that be going to choir, or even everyday tasks like shaving and washing my hair. It’s all just really important to me.”

At times, David finds that he does need some assistance, but he is always happy to call upon his Support Workers when he finds himself in this position.

Challenges and Highlights

The fond memories that David has from his past are going on walks, time spent with his Mum and Dad, and he absolutely loves classic cars! He has previously gone to several car shows, and we expect he will love Classics On The Commons this year.

His favourite cars are both BMWs and Mercedes, great choices David!

Leaving his previous home was a real challenge for David after 20 years, but he claims that he is much more confident now: “I feel very happy here. Making new friends and seeing everyone’s big smiles daily!”

One thing David wish you knew…

David has a stammer meaning that communicating can sometimes be a challenge. The one thing that he wishes everyone else knew was that patience is really important:

“Sometimes when I speak, I can’t get my words out and I wish people would be more patient with me. It’s really hard sometimes.”

This is really important for people with learning disabilities so that they are heard.

A fun fact about David…

David loves cats, and if he could be any animal, he would choose to be a white cat!

We were so happy to hear that David’s experience with us so far has been extremely positive: “Everyone has been excellent! There are staff members I can go to who are very kind and the service is absolutely wonderful.”

Thank you, David, for sharing your story!