"I'll be okay here" - Alan's Story

Alan's History Alan had a long history of mental illness that first became apparent during his teenage years following a breakdown. There were further periods of ill health noted throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 1986 and experienced two significant relapses that led to serious incidents caused by extreme paranoid ideation, some of which had a religious focus. Non-compliance with medication and illicit drug use were major contributing factors in these relapses. Alan gained insight into these experiences through extended periods of treatment in forensic and psychiatric hospitals, where he developed effective coping strategies to support his mental health. Alan's Admission Alan was admitted to Chilwell House in December 2016 and later transitioned to Boden House in August 2018. He eventually stepped down to Jubilee House (Supported Living) in 2022, where he settled in well and expressed genuine happiness with his placement.

The team welcomed Alan into the service, focusing on creating stability and helping him settle into a supportive environment where he could continue his journey towards independence. Throughout his time with Aspire Health and Care, Alan engaged positively with services and demonstrated sustained mental stability. He became known as a considerate and supportive member of the household, often offering help to others. “I was feeling well mentally when I started at Chilwell House — I had a good time there and always had something to look forward to. My goal was always to move into my own place in the community, to have my own space where I could express myself and practice my drumming. When I moved on to Boden House and later stepped down to Jubilee House, I felt relieved to have a supported living placement. I remember thinking, ‘I’ll be okay here,’ and I was glad there was space for my drums.” Alan's Care From the beginning, staff at Aspire worked consistently to support Alan’s recovery, providing structured routines, therapeutic guidance, and daily encouragement to help him build confidence and independence.

The team supported Alan in developing essential life skills such as cooking, budgeting, and maintaining his living space, always promoting positive routines and self-reliance. They also worked closely with him to ensure medication compliance and encouraged open communication around his mental health needs.

“It made the biggest difference to me having the freedom to express myself to the staff whenever I needed to and having lots of input with my support plans. I’ve really benefited from all the staff help with technology too.”

Staff took pride in providing consistent emotional support, helping Alan feel heard and respected in his care. His keyworkers ensured he was fully involved in decision-making, empowering him to take ownership of his progress.

“I 100% feel like staff have helped me towards my goals. I’ve been given the space, time, and support that I needed to reach them. The feeling of security and safety has helped me a lot.”

Alan also received additional psychological support when he experienced difficult memories or losses, such as the passing of close friends.

“I’ve had stability since being here. I had previously lost friends to suicide, which was very difficult to deal with. Discussing this with Dr. Bakaltchev really helped.” Alan Today

With the ongoing support and encouragement of the Aspire team, Alan was able to achieve one of his biggest goals - moving into his own independent flat in the community. This was a proud moment for both Alan and the staff who supported him every step of the way.

The team worked closely with Alan to plan this transition carefully, ensuring he had the skills, structure, and confidence to thrive independently.

Reflecting on his journey before moving on, Alan shared:

“My proudest moment has been reaching my goals — moving on to having less support and getting better.”

“I feel completely supported by the staff and my care team. I think I am 100% ready.”

Alan continues to do well in the community, maintaining his wellbeing, keeping up his interests - especially drumming, and demonstrating the resilience and independence that he and his support team worked so hard to achieve.

We are proud of Alan’s determination, growth, and achievements, and continue to wish him every success in his independent life.

This is a real story but names and images have been changed to protect their identity.