When Frank and Sheila’s son John contacted us he felt he was at breaking point and the whole situation was making “him extremely ill”. His mum Sheila has Alzheimer’s disease which had progressively got worse and had now led her to go wandering and leaving the house and being brought back by neighbours. His Dad has severe arthritis and walks with a frame. Unfortunately after a recent fall, Frank was hospitalised and John was advised his mum now needed full-time care. He was advised they would have be split up and Sheila would have to go into a care home.
John was devastated, his parents has been married for over 60 years and had never spent a day apart. His dad Frank, an ex bank worker doted on his wife and was extremely worried that this information would literally ‘kill him’. John started to do some research online and asked around about how he could keep his parents together at home when a neighbour recommended live-in care.
After an informal discussion, Frank and Sheila determined their individual care needs and also the type of carer they were looking for. As a carer would be living with them 24/7 – it’s important to us that we always try to match interests and hobbies as well as their individual care needs.
We then matched Donna, an experienced Live-in Carer who had cared for a number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and also shared Frank’s love of natural history programmes!
Within 72 hours, the care arrangements had been made and we arranged for Donna, the live-in carer to meet John at his parent’s home and start a trial. Frank immediately warmed to Donna and she quickly established a routine to make each day less agitating and confusing for Sheila, which is important for those living with Alzheimer’s disease. Friends and family come and go and Frank is now able to go out to his local card group knowing there is someone at home caring for his wife.
John said “I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Donna is wonderful… my parents can now remain together forever at home”
