Emma's 'proper home'

When we met Emma

Emma was at a crossroads when she came to Shared Lives. She’d been offered a place in supported living, but it didn’t feel like much of a change. ‘You’d have someone come in once a day, but it didn’t feel like having company. It felt like being alone with a telly, which is what I was already doing in my own flat.’ 

Emma wanted people who’d be there when she needed them and not just passing through. ‘I wanted a proper home', she said. 'Not just a place to live, but a place where I’d feel wanted.’ 

We knew Shared Lives would be perfect for Emma. She needed support to be as independent as she could, while still having that safety net, people around her, and the warmth of a family home to come back to.

A perfect match

Gaynor, 56, and Sean, 56, never expected to become Shared Lives carers. After fostering children with support needs, they decided to take a break, and thought that part of their lives was done. 

But after a couple of years with just the two of them, they heard about Shared Lives from another couple, and something clicked. 

‘It just made sense’ says Gaynor. ‘Both of us were at home and missing that sense of purpose we’d had with fostering, and we missed having someone around. My parents are both elderly and have their own care needs so I needed something that could work around that commitment. Shared Lives was perfect for that. We didn’t want to take on someone with really high support needs – not because we didn’t care, but because we’ve got my parents to look after too. So we asked for someone semi-independent who just needed a bit of help with gaining back the skills we know they have in them, but they just need that support to get there.’ 

And that's when we matched Gaynor and Sean with Emma.

Gaynor said: ‘From the first visit with Emma, we just knew. Then we arranged for Emma to come over for some dinner with the social worker and our development worker, Alex too. After that, we were texting, sending photos, and it felt natural straight away. We have the same humour, support the same football team – Sean and Emma are both Man City mad!’ 

Emma agrees: ‘I remember going for dinner. It was like when the sun comes out and everyone shouts ‘get the salad out!’ We had picky tea with chicken nuggets, coleslaw, all the good stuff. I didn’t feel shy at all.’ 

A proper home with Shared Lives

‘I wanted a proper home', says Emma. 'Not just a place to live, but a place where I’d feel wanted.’ 

And that’s exactly what she found with PSS Shared Lives. 

Emma said: ‘Gaynor and Sean are always around when I need them – if they’re not in the house I can text them or give them a call.’ 

Gaynor said: ‘Emma’s really independent though, she does a lot of things on her own now that she didn’t do before’. 

Emma's confident, colourful life

Since moving in, Emma’s world has opened up. Emma says: ‘I don’t sit in all the time anymore. I go to swimming, art classes, coffee mornings. I’ve got two voluntary jobs now, too. Sean has taken me to the Etihad stadium tour, and I’ve met Sean’s friend who takes me to the game every now and then too. I’ve even been to a Man City game on my own!’ 

Emma’s also brushing up on her cooking skills. She cooks for herself all the time and has even whipped up an all-day breakfast for the three of them. 

Most of all, Emma says she’s becoming more confident. Emma says: ‘I’ve done things I never thought I’d do – like going up Blackpool Tower or winning a fancy dress competition dressed as Eliot from ET!’ 

Emma adds: ‘Before, I was just existing. Now I’m living my life.’