Jackie's Story

“I wouldn’t know what I would have done without Gill shopping for me during lockdown.”

Lockdown was a new experience for everyone, especially Jackie who had to rely on outside help for basic tasks such as food shopping.

Jackie, 78 years old, has been living with multiple health conditions such as Addison’s disease, Angina and diabetes for some time. She was able to have some form of control over these, but her life flipped upside down when she was in a car accident and injured her spine.

With support given to her by another Age UK Hertfordshire service (the Hospital & Community Navigation Service), she was referred to Hertswise. Jackie was in need of help with her food shopping and she was unable to leave her house as she had to shield – with help from Hertswise she was able to do that safely and with reduced anxiety about who would help her.

Jackie said:

“I am unable to walk far or lift anything and when the weather gets hotter the heat makes my Addison’s worse, meaning I need to take extra medication.”

“I don’t know what I would have done without Gill shopping, I eat healthily and don’t eat meat, and with diabetes I was able draw up my own list it was an absolute godsend I appreciate everything she does. Gill now knows exactly what I have every week and if I forget to put things on the list (which is frequently), she will buy it for me.”