Meaning of PERMA Model
The PERMA model is a valuable model offering a comprehensive approach to understanding and enhancing wellbeing. The model provides a framework for improving mental health, resilience, and overall life satisfaction by focusing on Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. Its application in health and social care and educational settings demonstrates its versatility and effectiveness in promoting wellbeing across different settings. For example, health and social care providers can improve their employee wellbeing and mental health by focusing on the five pillars which enable people to live a meaningful life.
One of the PERMA model’s core elements is having a sense of purpose and belonging to something greater than oneself. This can be achieved through various avenues, such as community service, personal beliefs, or professional endeavours. Research indicates that people who find meaning in their lives report higher levels of life satisfaction, physical health and better overall health and social outcomes. Moreover, the pursuit of meaning can lead to post-traumatic growth, as people who attribute meaning to their challenges are more likely to experience positive psychological changes following adversity. Thus, the PERMA model provides a framework for understanding wellbeing and offers practical strategies for enhancing it in everyday life.
Leaf Complex Care‘s multidisciplinary in-house therapy team supports people with emphasis on the PERMA model, Capable Environments model, and the PACE model. Our therapists have extensive experience working in established organisations like the National Autistic Society and NHS. They use many tools that enable people to reduce behaviours of concern while learning new skills to improve their wellbeing.
⇒ Read more about our therapy team and their specialised support.
Positive Emotions (P)
Positive emotions enclose many feelings, such as hope, joy, love, pride, amusement, and gratitude. These emotions expand our attention and cognition, enabling us to generate new thoughts, solutions, and actions to manage challenging situations. Positive emotions help us develop a solid basis for overall wellbeing and are necessary for navigating many life domains and situations.
For autistic people or people with a learning disability, integrating positive emotions into daily routines can help broaden their scope of attention and thought-action process, which is essential for cognitive and emotional development. This can be achieved through activities that promote joy and engagement, such as creative arts, music, and physical activities tailored to their interests. Positive psychology interventions, which focus on building positive emotion, have been shown to help people live their optimal lives by leveraging their strengths, hope, self-efficacy, and resilience. For example, strategies such as savouring positive experiences, creating positivity portfolios, and practising gratitude can be adapted to suit people’s different cognitive and emotional capacities.
Engagement (E)
Engagement, also known as ‘flow,’ refers to being fully absorbed and involved in activities. It involves a deep sense of focus and enjoyment in what one is doing. When people experience engagement, they can harness their cognitive and emotional resources to achieve a state of optimal performance. Flow is experienced when one’s skills are sufficient for a challenging activity in the pursuit of a clear goal, with immediate feedback on progress toward the goal. People are likelier to experience flow when they use their top character strengths and participate in activities they love. Increased engagement includes practising mindfulness, spending time in nature, and identifying and leveraging one’s strengths in various tasks.
For autistic people or people with a learning disability, finding activities that match their interests and abilities is crucial for achieving this state of flow. When people are engaged, they enjoy the activities and draw energy and passion from them, significantly enhancing their overall wellbeing. Caregivers and support teams can implement strategies tailored to the needs of people who require complex care, autism support, or learning disabilities support. One approach is to prompt them to participate in activities that hold their attention and interest, such as listening to a story, going to the park with a friend, or engaging in hobbies. These activities should be enjoyable and provide a sense of accomplishment, motivating people to stay engaged.
Read more about autism-friendly activities that can encourage stimulation and explore various functional communication-focused, social skills-building, or special interest-based activities.
Relationships (R)
Relationships are a fundamental pillar of the PERMA model, emphasising the importance of strong, positive relationships with others. Healthy relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and the community are essential for emotional and psychological wellbeing. Social connections become particularly important as we age, and strong social networks contribute to better physical health among older adults. To build relationships, one can join groups or classes of interest, engage in meaningful conversations, and reconnect with people you lost touch with.
For people who require complex care and social support, support workers can make an important contribution to building and maintaining lasting relationships by:
Providing trusting, safe and capable environments
Creating social opportunities according to people’s wishes
Community involvement through activities and hobbies that people love
Through positive relationships, people’s lives can flourish even more, reducing negative emotions and the impact of stressful life events.
Meaning (M)
Knowing that one’s work or actions contribute to something bigger can significantly enhance one’s sense of purpose and overall wellbeing. Meaning involves having a sense of purpose and direction in life, which helps people focus on what is truly important, especially in the face of significant challenges. Having meaning or purpose in life is different for everyone. It may be pursued through various avenues, such as a profession, a social or health cause, a creative endeavour, or a religious/spiritual belief. To build meaning, people can get involved in causes or organisations that matter to them, try new creative activities, think about how they can use their passions to help others and spend quality time with people they care about.
A person-centred approach ensures that interventions and support are specifically designed to meet each person’s unique needs. By pursuing goals and activities that are meaningful to them, autistic people, people with learning disability or with mental health needs experience greater personal fulfilment. This approach helps them engage in hobbies, interests, and professional activities that bring them joy and satisfaction.
Accomplishments (A)
People pursue accomplishments for their own sake in various domains, such as the workplace, sports, games, and hobbies. To build accomplishments, people can set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound) goals, reflect on past successes, and find creative ways to celebrate their achievements. Focusing on progress rather than perfection is crucial for maintaining motivation and morale.
Setting individualised goals is essential for promoting a sense of accomplishment. These goals should be tailored to people’s unique strengths and challenges. For example, learning how to make a drink can provide a significant sense of achievement and independence. Also, learning a new hobby, participating in a community project, or mastering a new skill should be designed to match the person’s interests and abilities, ensuring they are achievable. Celebrating successes, no matter how small, and providing positive feedback more frequently than corrections can help build confidence and motivation.
PERMA Model of Wellbeing Examples
In health and social care, this model can enhance the overall well-being of both care recipients. For instance, promoting positive emotion can involve creating a supportive and positive environment in care settings, where people are encouraged to express gratitude, get involved in uplifting activities, and celebrate small successes. This approach helps reduce stress, improves mental health, creates positive relationships and fosters a sense of optimism among care recipients.
Involvement is another crucial element of the PERMA model that can be applied in health and social care. Encouraging people to participate in activities that align with their interests and strengths can lead to greater involvement and satisfaction. For example, involving people in decision-making about their care plans or offering opportunities for creative expression through art or music therapy can enhance their sense of agency and fulfilment. Strengthening relationships by fostering connections also plays a pivotal role in wellbeing, as strong social bonds are linked to better health outcomes.
Leaf Complex Care Practices the PERMA Model of Wellbeing
Leaf Complex Care integrates the PERMA model of wellbeing into its care to enhance the quality of life for the people it supports. It applies the five principles through person-centred and comprehensive support, which is evident in its case studies.
For instance, Richard, one of the people we support, enjoys long walks and social gatherings with his support workers, which fosters positive emotions and engagement. Similarly, James transitioned from a challenging residential home to a life filled with meaningful activities, highlighting the importance of involvement and meaning in his care. Moreover, Leaf Complex Care emphasises building strong social relationships and a sense of accomplishment among its people. The case study of Hayden showcases the transformative power of person-centred support, leading to significant positive progress and impact in his daily life.
By focusing on these elements, Leaf Complex Care enhances the quality of life for the people they support and fosters a supportive and thriving environment. This approach aligns with the PERMA model’s emphasis on nurturing supportive relationships, finding meaning, and celebrating accomplishments, ultimately contributing to the overall wellbeing of the people they serve.
Contact our Bristol, South East, Birmingham and Somerset offices.
Download Case Studies
Download the case studies and see how our person-centred care brings positive change and empowers individuals to be as independent as possible in the community and their own homes.
