Dorset man turned life around in ten months
Joe has changed his life after accessing health and care services
Heatlthwatch Dorset first spoke to Joe in March 2024, he was aged 30, experiencing homelessness in Dorset, and struggling with chronic alcoholism.
Now, ten months later, with support from local charities and services, Joe's story is very different.
At that time, Joe had spent 16 months living in a shop doorway in the centre of town, which he was then evicted from, and then spent a month living on a roundabout in a tent. He talked to us about his hospital admissions, the challenges of going into withdrawal while in hospital and then discharging himself
Joe is now working as a groundworker, living in a dry house, and is turning his life around, showing just how vital it is not to give up, on yourself or others, and to provide the right support and treatment at the right time.
He says "Luckily for me, I was given an opportunity of going to rehab and I grabbed it. I’ve managed to turn my life around and I’m pleased to say that my days are totally different now."
He says the service that helped the most is the HeathBus, and "The HealthBus have been great. I could get a hot shower on a Thursday; some hot food and I got to spend time with a good crowd. Thursday was the highlight of the week for me."
"If I had one piece of advice to give to someone who had just fallen on hard times, it would be to go out there and get all the help that you can get. Make connections and use the services like the HealthBus, Hope for Food, St Mungo’s etc. There’s something on most days, so use them. More importantly though, just don’t go down that road because it is a long and hard road back."