In our latest story of Independent Lives, we spoke to Jay.
Jay is a 36-year-old man living in East Sussex with cystic fibrosis. Despite the challenges posed by his condition, Jay leads an active and engaging life, supported by his personal assistant, Dawn, through a Direct Payment facilitated by Independent Lives.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder. Jay explains, “It affects my lungs and my bowels. I have to take tablets to help digest my food.” The condition sometimes limits his physical activities, causing him to get out of breath easily. However, Jay doesn’t let this stop him from pursuing his interests and maintaining an active lifestyle.
Jay playing guitar
Jay is a talented individual with a wide range of interests. He’s passionate about music and plays the guitar. Jay is busy writing a book in his free time, which he describes as “partly about my upbringing, but I’m making it into a fantasy so people can relate to it.” Jay also enjoys martial arts, having practiced French kickboxing, K1, and ninjutsu in the past. He expresses a desire to return to competitions in the future.
An average day for Jay includes shopping, spending time with friends, and pursuing his hobbies. He recently moved to a ground-floor flat in Newhaven, with a small garden, adding a new dimension to his home. Jay’s direct payment allows him to employ a personal assistant, Dawn, who provides two hours of support per week. Such flexibility enables Jay to receive personalised assistance tailored to his specific needs and interests.
Shaun – a direct payment adviser at Independent Lives – connected Jay and Dawn together through a rapport and passion they all shared for music. Through Dawn’s assistance and own interest in playing the guitar, Jay can pursue his musical interests. Dawn’s role is to support Jay to achieve independence and empower him to make his own decisions. Their working relationship is described as informal yet productive, focusing on empowering Jay to live independently.
One of the primary goals Jay and Dawn have set is to perform at an open mic night and they have been rehearsing together to polish their act. This goal not only aligns with Jay’s passion for music but also gives him something exciting to work towards. Dawn is very keen for every person she supports to achieve their life ambitions. Jay commented of their working relationship, “Dawn’s been really great and has supported me a lot. In the future, I’d be surprised if I had someone else support me as well as she has. It’s very rare that someone like Dawn comes along.”
Jay and Dawn
Independent Lives provides a range of services and support for people receiving Direct Payments. Click here to find out more about our Direct Payment support services.
