Real Stories: Our Care Service

Our incredible teams across the organisation consistantly go the extra mile to make sure our older community are happy, healthy and safe. Here is a real story shared from Abbie Martin, our wonderful Care Services Coordinator, that demonstrates this. Names and specifics have been removed to protect the identities of those involved. 

We received an enquiry from a very concerned family member regarding her 75-year-old mother who lives alone.

This lady has three children, two of which do not live locally and a third who, up until this point, had been visiting his mother; doing her shopping, helping with chores and taking her out etc.

However, the family noticed that this son had been taking large amounts of money from her and not taking very good care of her in return. After this all came to light, there was a breakdown of care and we were called to offer support to this lady as soon as possible. Family had noticed that their mum was forgetting how to do simple tasks, such as eating, turning on the shower, using the microwave and generally seemed worrisome.

A care assessment was carried out the same day, with her daughter present, and her first care call came two days later, as family needed to return home and didn’t want to leave without a package of care in place for her. We were able to set up hour-long calls seven days a week at lunchtime to make sure she was having a hot meal and to leave some supper.

The first meeting with this lady, she was extremely anxious about having a carer. She did not make eye contact and was tearful throughout the assessment. She was quite certain that she was fine and didn’t need support. I seemed to gain her trust quite quickly and she asked if I could come along with the carer on the first visit because she was worried they wouldn’t like her. I assured her they would and of course I came along on the first visit in order to reassure her and make her feel comfortable. Of course though, our carer put this lady at ease and gained her trust very quickly.

Fast forward to now, only a few weeks later, the contrast in this lady from our first meeting is amazing. She is so much happier and content within herself and always gives the carers amazing hugs and smiles when she sees them. She tells carers she would be lost without them and they feel more like her friends popping round to see her and she loves them all!

Family contacted me once again and asked it we could take her out once a week so she wasn’t cooped up. Two-hour long calls were implemented where capacity allowed and so far this lady has been for a picnic at Harstholme, Daisy Made for ice cream and to Bransby Horse Sanctuary, where she took a liking to a particular donkey and asked for her photo to be taken with him. This photo is now proudly displayed on her fridge. Family have said she was so excited when telling them about her trips out with her carers and that the peace of mind they have from knowing their mum isn’t alone all day and seeing the difference we have made to her life is priceless.

Hopefully in the not so distant future we are also taking this lady out to the seaside for fish and chips!

There is much more to our service than administering medication and supporting with bathing. The clear difference we make to our clients is the most rewarding feeling you could ever ask for. The care team are outstanding at what they do. They go above and beyond for every single client, everyday just doing those little things that make the world of difference to enrich older people’s lives and make them feel valued.