The Power of Support: How Maple Helped Peter Find Hope

Meet Peter, a 61-year-old former switchboard operator who loves swimming, reading, and cracking dad jokes. Peter lives in Blacktown LGA and enjoys going out to cafes and pubs with his support workers from Maple Community Services. Peter has been living with depression and anxiety for most of his life, but he has not let that stop him from pursuing his passions and hobbies.

Peter’s story is an inspiring one because he has found a service provider, Maple that meets his needs and helps him live a happier and more satisfying life. He recently made a short film about his journey of overcoming his mental challenges and wrote a blog to share his story. Stay tuned for more details on how to watch his film and read his blog!

Peter has learned some effective ways to cope with his mental diagnoses over the years. He knows how to identify his triggers and symptoms and uses meditation, mindfulness, and breathing techniques to calm himself down when he feels anxious or depressed. He also credits his support worker Lauren for teaching him some useful tricks to manage his emotions.

Since joining Maple in July 2022, Peter has noticed a significant improvement in his mental health and well-being. He says that Maple has been the best service provider for him because they communicate well and deliver quality supports. Peter appreciates that he always knows who is coming to support him and when they are coming. He says that this reduces his stress and anxiety levels and makes him feel more confident and happier.

Maple has changed and improved Peter’s life in a few ways. He has been able to access the community through his supports with Maple. Peter also enjoys the company of his support workers from Maple. He says that they are very friendly and compatible with him and that they make him laugh and have fun. He was also incredibly happy that two of the support workers that were supporting him were Support Workers of the Month, Sania Saeed and King Ng whilst admiring another favourite, Rhianna Alpuerto. He also commended and Missy for keeping his place nice and tidy and helping in making it easier for him to navigate his home.

Peter has some exciting plans for the future. He wants to increase his hours with Maple once a month so that he can spend more time in the community and do more of the things he loves. He also wants to improve his fitness and mobility by practicing walking with a walking stick instead of a walker. He believes that this will boost his confidence and independence.

Peter has some clear goals that he is working towards with Maple’s support. He wants to:

• Stay active and engaged in the community.
• Be as independent and safe as possible at home and outside.
• Keep up his physical exercise routine to strengthen his muscles and joints.
• Enhance his daily living skills with the help of his support workers.

Peter’s story is a success story because he has been able to find Maple Community Services that is meeting his needs and helping him to live a more fulfilling life. He is grateful for the positive impact that Maple has had on his life and hopes to inspire others with his film and blog.