Page 20 - MDS final deliverable

CUSTOMER NEED: INSIGHT FOUR
AN INVISIBLE HAND
Whilst the participants are the main customers of MDS, knowingly and unknowingly MDS plays a critical role in supporting families. MDS is like an ‘invisible hand’, silently and indirectly providing strength and relief to families. MDS alleviates their burden by giving them assurance and peace of mind that their loved ones are receiving quality care and experiencing life as close as possible to mainstream.
Having a trusted place like MDS helps with the family’s well-being as there is someone who can share the load in caring for the participants. This can take the pressure off them to enable them to take necessary breaks.
Families have expressed the view that it can be challenging to care for vulnerable participants. Without the support from providers like MDS, they may have not been able to manage all the different expectations of life.
The biggest fear family members have is what will happen to their children when they are not longer capable to look after them. There is a need for a long-term solution and they have expressed open desire for MDS to fulfil this need.
POSSIBLE IDEAS AND CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS
• Respite: Families feel they would greatly benefit from respite services, but not all of them have funding for the same level of services. They would like MDS to start weekend services e.g. weekend camps, as this would open up some time and space for themselves.
• Group home: The parents’ biggest concern is what will happen to their children when they are not around. There is an opportunity to develop a solution like a group home, which would address this concern of the family and provide participants with long term support.
MDS plays a role in the participant’s family by being a silent pillar of support – contributing to the family wellbeing and giving them peace-of- mind.
More applicable to:
CENTRE BASED
PATHWAYS TO EMPLOYMENT
Commercial in confidence
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MENTAL HEALTH