CARE PLAN BENEFITS RAKESH » Communities » 24dash.com

A resident at a care home for Asian adults with learning disabilities has lost weight and gained confidence by taking part in an organised personal development plan.

When Rakesh Mehta moved in to High Worple residential home in Harrow, run by ASRA Greater London Housing Association, he was overweight (145kg/319lb), had associated health issues and was reluctant to go out on his own.

Staff at High Worple helped Rakesh to establish a ‘person centred care plan’ and develop his own goals, at the same time agreeing the levels of staff guidance and support required to reach the set milestones.

Nine months into the programme, Rakesh has lost 45kg/99lb and is now happy to go out on his own.  He said:  "Inside I feel nice and I feel I look gorgeous.  I’d really like to get married and have kids. If someone wants to lose weight, I will help them.”

Dina Devshi, ASRA’s project manager, said:  "It’s great to see Rakesh so happy and looking forward to the future.  We plan the support based around individual wishes, aspirations and goals, and this has opened up new opportunities for all our residents, enabling them to enjoy a much improved quality of life.”

ASRA was originally established to meet the needs of Asian elders, but increasingly provides a range of accommodation for people of all ethnicities, faiths and backgrounds.  Its developments and services cover 20 London boroughs and five local authorities in the south east.

The association is co-founder of the £540m LHA-ASRA housing group, launched in January 2006.  With offices in London, Nottingham, Northampton, and Leicester, LHA-ASRA manages 12,000 homes across an area extending from Nottinghamshire across Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, to London and the Home Counties, and employs 350 staff.  
 
LHA-ASRA is an approved Investment Partner of the Housing Corporation, and has a joint capital programme worth over £250 million gross. 

The group works with 37 local authorities and 20 London boroughs, providing a mixture of general needs accommodation for all communities and stock with an Asian specialism. It also has a substantial portfolio of care and supported housing (managed by Group members ASRA, and LHA Support Services). It partners with an arms-length social enterprise group, TREES, which comprises four self-contained businesses with a joint turnover of £8.6m, employing over 140 people.

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Press release issued: June 30 2006