ANYONE with ‘a spare room and a caring nature’ could help a vulnerable adult by taking them into their home and supporting them.

Karen Barlow is a Shared Lives carer in Droitwich. She lives with her husband and one lady with down syndrome, one with autism and a man with mental health issues. Mrs Barlow said: “It’s one of the best services I have worked with in Worcestershire, I am really proud to be a shared Lives carer.”

Mrs Barlow has helped organise an event to promote the scheme and provide information. “Our individuals do various things, there will be an art group, a man will be coming to do kick boxing, and the man who lives with me will be demonstrating yoga because it has helped him with his mental health.”

Kieran Conneely from Shared Lives Worcestershire said: “We support people with learning disabilities, learning difficulties, physical disabilities and also acquired brain injuries. The shared lives carers will bring them into their homes, interact with them, bring them into the community and care and support them.”

“My job is to go into the placements and make sure everything centres around the individual and that they are getting what they want out of their lives. It is a privilege to work for the scheme.”

“We have several individuals who have gone on to employment or who have gone to college. I have seen people come from an abusive background come out of their shell.”

Carers are given professional training which is paid for by the scheme.There are long term and short term placements and a range of different people opt to be carers including families with children as well as single people. Mr Conneely is always looking for new carers in Worcestershire.

The Shared Lives event is at Barbourne Ex-Servicemen’s Club, The Moors, Worcester on Thursday June 20 from 11am until 2:00pm.

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