By Erika Duffy, Care Manager
While I was reflecting back on 2021, I thought about the fact that for some, against the odds, the last year or two have actually been quite fulfilling, and it made me feel proud! Proud of my team, proud of the way we have managed to work at not only keeping our clients (and ourselves) safe but also how some have thrived!
I have so many examples of how small things done every day by our carers have made a big impact on the quality of life of our clients, despite the obstacles thrown at us! I know that my fellow Care Managers will all have many similar examples from within their regions. There are too many to mention here, but I wanted to share one example of how small things have made such a difference to one of our clients.
R was away from her only son due to the Covid-19 restrictions. When I think back to her anxiety during the beginning of the pandemic of “who was coming?” and I look at her now, I see the fantastic job her care team has done.
Due to sight and mobility issues, R’s world is now pretty much a small bedroom with a TV in, but her carers Marzenna Domanska and Marianna Szabo have been fantastic, and given her exactly what she needed. Marzenna and Marianna have turned R’s small room into a theatre or cinema at times – she can enjoy watching musicals together with her carer every evening, and each morning when she wakes up she looks forward to a private concert (courtesy of Alexa), with singing and dancing to their favourite songs.
When I visited at Christmas her favourite cake had been baked (which she named as Unbelievably Magnificent) and a little tea party was laid on for us. The sweetest thing that R told me is that she is so grateful to her carers and knows they will stay with her until the end. It really is the small things that make such a huge difference for R.
The fantastic stories of excellent care during a time when the country has all had it’s fair share of doom and gloom is amazing! I have been humbled by the kindness and professionalism I have seen from my team!
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