The Story
Alison was referred to Community Angels by Adult Social Care. She was suffering from agoraphobia, exacerbated by physical disabilities, making it physically as well as psychologically hard to leave her house. She felt she was relying too heavily on her partner for help and wanted to gain confidence in taking steps to increase independence as well as having some company during the day.
After six months of weekly befriending visits, Alison reflected that her mood lifted as a result of her time with her volunteer. During the summer months she managed to leave the home with her volunteer’s support and sit outside in her garden, which was a huge achievement. She also feels she now has more of a voice. She asks for extra help when she needs it, which she was not able to do previously, and now has the confidence to deal with a longstanding legal issue. Her perspective on life has also changed. She has taken the skills from her previous work as a personal trainer to create routines for her fellow members of a slimming group.
Alison recognises it is amazing she is even attending the group independently and without the support of her partner. She enjoys the new social contact and investing in herself. She acknowledges she may never be completely free of agoraphobia and still needs to work on adjusting to living with physical ill-health but is so grateful for those weekly visits and surprised by the huge difference that they have made.
Alison – age 42*
*details have been shared with client’s consent
