How one resident reclaimed power in care — with the support of Dawn, a staff member who believed in co-creation over control.
When Adam woke from a coma after a catastrophic brain injury, he could only blink. Today, he helps shape policy, interview staff and influence decisions across his care home. At Greenside Court, that transformation was not accidental. It reflects a philosophy that sees care not as something delivered to people, but created with them.
When people think about ‘activities’ in a care home, they often picture organised group sessions, with success measured by how many people take part. But for Dawn, activities are never just about filling time or ticking boxes. What matters most is what they represent — choice, confidence and the freedom to shape your own life in meaningful ways.
Dawn and the team support adults of all ages living with complex neurological, mental health and physical conditions. Her focus is always on the journey. That might mean supporting someone to try something new, speak up for the first time or reconnect with an old hobby. Her approach is rooted in a simple belief: this is their life, and they should be in charge of it. “My role isn’t to lead from the front,” Dawn says. “It’s to stand alongside people, remove barriers and give them the space and support to lead themselves.”
This year, Dawn has supported people to go on holiday — not as a one-off treat, but as part of everyday life. “People don’t stop wanting holidays just because they live in a care home,” she explains. “Seeing new places, making memories — that’s part of being human. Our job is to make it possible, not to decide whether it’s allowed.”
Adam’s story is one of the most powerful examples of this approach in action. After his drink was spiked at a party, Adam, 34, suffered a bleed on the brain and fell into a coma. When he woke, he was unable to speak. He spent time in hospital making slow progress before moving to Greenside Court, where he initially struggled to accept what had happened.
Dawn quickly recognised his potential to influence change — not just for himself, but for others. “Adam has so much insight,” she says. “It was never about speaking for him. It was about asking, ‘how can we help you use your voice in a way that works for you?’”
Through the Service User Ambassador programme, and with support from the wider team, Adam has rebuilt his independence and confidence. His role involves working alongside colleagues to shape decisions across the home and wider organisation — from choosing décor and contributing to policies, to interviewing new team members. “Being a Service User Ambassador makes me feel important,” Adam says. “It’s not just about what I want, it’s about what other people in the home want too. I can take ideas to the Service User Council that actually improve people’s lives. Being listened to and offered independence makes me feel more than just a resident.”
With Dawn’s encouragement, Adam has returned to education, gaining a Level 2 Functional Skills qualification in English and continuing into his second year at college. “I didn’t think I’d be supported to live the life I had before my brain injury,” he says. “Now I go to college, see my friends and feel like I can live a normal life again. That means everything to me.”
For Dawn, moments like this are about far more than achievement. They are about reclaiming authorship over a life that once felt out of reach. “Seeing someone realise they still have choices, influence and a future — that’s everything,” she says. “That’s when you know you’re not just providing care, you’re helping someone take control of their life again.”
Adam’s journey is a reminder that care is not simply about support — it is about voice. When residents are invited to shape decisions, influence culture and contribute beyond their own needs, something shifts. Care stops being something that happens to people and becomes something they actively create. At Greenside Court, co-creation is not a programme or a policy. It is a mindset. And for people like Adam, it has turned recovery into leadership — and care into something genuinely life-changing.
