Katherine came to WCIG looking for someone in particular to work with her; someone who didn’t feel like a Support Worker but more like a friend.
Katherine came to WCIG looking for someone in particular to work with her; someone who didn’t feel like a Support Worker but more like a friend.
Katherine began working with Support Worker Annalisa in April 2020, around the time COVID-19 began to impact services.
Katherine’s main goals included support and assistance with health and nutrition. Her confidence in the kitchen and with meal preparation was quite low. Since Katherine experiences sensory issues, such as with food textures and visual presentation, this made things a little more complex.
Initially even considering different grocery stores or brands could be quite difficult, as Katherine likes what she likes and trusts the products she knows.
At first, Katherine struggled with motivation and change when it came to Annalisa’s assistance. Katherine and Annalisa took the first few weeks to get to know each other and build trust. This included really listening to what Katherine wanted, what her habits were and why.
Like most of us, Katherine dreads doing the dishes. Because of that, along with her low confidence in the kitchen, she often decided that take-away was easier than being overwhelmed in the kitchen and then dealing with the inevitable clean-up.
Katherine and Annalisa developed a good understanding of the importance of hygienic kitchen habits and how to maintain them consistently.
Over time, Katherine became more open to changes in her diet and routine. Now, the changes are obvious and very much worth celebrating.
“Katherine is getting involved in many more ways when it comes to meal preparation and nutrition despite facing issues with certain foods and textures. She is now joking around and is far more relaxed with me,” says Annalisa.
Katherine is now independently budgeting and choosing products within her budget to make healthy meals – while still being able to purchase a few treats each week.
