Update Regarding My Son

Glad to hear that you are getting support for your son ... that you will get a little respite next year .. but still lots of family involvement and appropriate actitivities.

Is your son accepting of the plan?

Hi @Janna

This is fantastic news! It's not often that we hear of the 'good' stuff, so I it was great to read about your son's progress.

How's your son feeling about the resi-program?

Hope the transition is smooth sailing. It's great to hear that your son is able to get the support that he needs.

It's nice to be able to share "good" news. My son is positive about residential care. He feels he has come to the end of the line and is willing to try anything which can help. This willingness and desire is part of the criteria for the program - no point admitting someone who really doesn't want to be there.

Personally I think he's going to love it. It may be difficult at first to become adjusted to the routine, but he won't be alone. Things there sound like something he would enjoy - it's a nice blend of residential mental health care combined with school with lots of nice activities woven into it. I'm a little concerned that he'll be able to get to all the outpatient appointments and these are critical. He has to complete 5 of them to be eligible for admission so if he misses any he would be dragging out his admission.

Here's hoping that this is what will see some real and lasting positive change.

I'll keep you all posted.

Janna ❤️

Sounds like a great service. Good Luck with it all.

Yes @Janna, please keep us posted! I look forward to hearing about how he goes.

In the mean time, I hope you are looking afer yourself too!

HI Janna

thats great news, you are very lucky. i have a 24 year old son suffering from schizophrenia, do you think i could also apply, i can not care for him anymore which residntial care facility are you talking about? do you have a phone number? where is it located? thanks so much

Hi @Barbara

Unfortunately the facility that my son will be admitted to is only for adolescents (up to age 18). Additionally it is part Dept. of Education and has a schooling/education component. It is very much like a boarding school fused with a mental health facility. Unfortunately this would not cater for your 24 year old son. The best I can suggest that you do is to ring the national Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511 and discuss your situation with them. They will be able to direct you to appropriate facilities within your area. As a carer of someone suffering with mental health issues you are also entitled to respite. Here is a link that may be of some help.

https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/mental-health/programmes-services/mental-health-respite-carer-support/locating-a-mental-health-respite-carer-support-mhrcs-service

There are also private mental health care facilities which you may like to explore depending on your health insurance status.

Regards

Janna ❤️

I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment with the forum so thought I'd take this opportunity to update everyone on where I'm at with my son.

My son completed the 5 week outpatient "readiness" program prior to Christmas. He has now met ALL the criteria for full admission into the unit, however, we are now waiting for other "inpatients" to transition out so that he can "transition in". This in effect has left us is no-mans-land at present in which we are waiting for that elusive phone call to say "Bring him in". Hopefully this will not take too long and follows on with the momentum that was achieved via the outpatient program.

On the domestic scene things have improved. Improvement to me is less conflicts, more predictability and stability in mental health. At present he is plodding along in a way that is predictable and has me knowing (and accepting) where we are at right now. He has been enganging in social interactions with his friends during these school holidays and has enganged in several events in which he went to the movies, spent New Years with his friends, went to Luna Park with a friend and stayed overnight at a friends house. All positives.

He is keen and eager to start the program and I see 2016 as being the year that is going to consolidate all the hard work we were enganged in in 2015. He is still having ongoing psychotherapy and is compliant with his medications.

On a negative note - his medication change of 4 months ago has led to a significant increase in weight. He has gained 10kg in a matter of 3-4 months. This rapid weight increase has caused some seriously nasty stretch marks on his "love handles" , upper arms, thighs and buttocks. It has also caused us to go out and buy an entirely new wardrobe to fit his new size. Hopefully with increased exercise and the dietry restrictions of being an inpatient his weight will reduce and level out.

I'm looking towards 2016 with optimism and hope that his 6 month intensive psych stay will be the catalyst that can shift him from being in a downward spiral into one which is upward and ongoing.

Janna ❤️