Learning disability care

Our learning disability care supports adults with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder, who may also display behaviours of concern and/or have mental health needs or a physical disability.

We believe everyone with a learning disability can have a fulfilling life with positive outcomes.

Our purpose-built care homes offer small group living to help people gain independence, develop everyday skills and have more control over their lives.

Many people come to our care homes after a previous placement failed to meet their complex needs.

Our high staffing levels and holistic approach aim to end this cycle.

Our approach to learning disability care

We work with individuals, their loved ones and professionals to ensure a safe, smooth transition from admission to discharge.

This involves a detailed clinical needs assessment, a community fit assessment, and input from Exemplar Health Care clinical experts.

Thanks to our high staffing levels that are based on individual need, we can adapt our approach and care to meet every person’s needs.

Together with loved ones and fellow professionals, we design individual care plans that reflect a person’s holistic needs.

We also work in partnership with local authority partners, NHS services and other community bodies to strengthen care when needed.

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Service user sat outside in sunshine with carer
Therapy assistant sat smiling at camera

Care from a multidisciplinary team

Our learning disability care homes have a dedicated clinical and support team which includes trained Health Care Assistants and Registered Nurses.

People also have the support of Exemplar Health Care clinical experts, who work together to share learnings and best practice, and facilitate continued care pathways.

They include:

  • Behaviour Support Practitioners

  • Speech and Language Therapist

  • Lead Therapist

  • Lead Learning Disability Nurse

  • Consultant Psychiatrist (in times of crisis).

Positive behaviour support

Many of the people we support with dementia are considered to display behaviours that are ‘too complex’ for mainstream care providers, such as aggressive and sexualised behaviours.

At Exemplar Health Care, we help them manage, reduce, and even eliminate these behaviours.

Our Exemplar Health Care clinical experts, including our Behaviour Support Team and a Consultant Psychiatrist, are available in times of crisis, and all colleagues complete Exemplar Positive Behaviour Support (EPBS) training (certificated by Bild ACT).

By understanding the causes and implementing management strategies, we aim to reduce the frequency and intensity of behaviours of concern within 12 weeks of admission.

Nurse sat with service user
Care home resident sat smiling at camera

Active support

Daily life is all about choice. Everything we do is personalised to the people we support.

Through an active support approach, we enable people to continue to do the things they enjoy.

We enable them to learn, volunteer and find new hobbies too if they wish.

Through our life skills work, we aim to boost self-esteem, create a sense of accomplishment and enhance quality of life.

Our learning disability services don’t have catering or housekeeping teams – instead, we encourage people to take part in activities of daily living such as cleaning, cooking and shopping.

Active support training is essential for our Activities Coordinators and available for all colleagues.

Technology and communication aids

A learning disability can make it difficult for people to make their thoughts and feelings known.

We understand that working with someone with a learning disability may challenge our idea of what communication is, and how we make ourselves understood.

We find individual solutions to help people live more independently and reduce frustration, including:

  • Makaton

  • social stories

  • talking maps

  • visual schedules

  • voice alerts and voice recognising technology.

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