International Day of Older Persons – Thursday, 1 October 2020

International Day of Older Persons – Thursday, 1 October 2020

Today is the International Day of Older Persons. To mark it, we at HRM Homecare Services would like to tell you a story to help raise awareness about the needs and well-being of elderly people in our communities. A fortnight ago, one of our carers visited an elderly gentleman just out of hospital and who we were providing a meal service for. It quickly became apparent that his wife was not well, she was struggling with simple tasks around the house, was breathless and struggling with her mobility. Our carer raised their concerns to us, and upon further review we discovered the husband was not only his wife’s full-time carer but, since being discharged from hospital, was struggling to carry out the day-to-day duties around the house he’d dutifully done before his illness. We realised that this couple were struggling. Firstly, we held heartfelt talks with them to gently reassure them that we could help, and the pair agreed that they did need more assistance sooner rather than later. We also received support from their daughter who was also concerned at their situation. We next contacted their local council to ask for urgent services to be put in place as soon as possible, which they were able to do seamlessly. This joined-up working approach ensured emergency provisions were put in place over the recent bank holiday. This means the couple now have access to the support they need while a full assessment of their future requirements takes place – and our gratitude is with those that helped to put all these measures in place so quickly. As a result, we have a very happy and relieved couple and a very grateful daughter, who took the time to phone and thank us for our carers’ care and support. So on the International Day of Older Persons, let’s remember how a little bit of care and compassion can go a long way.