People are keen to get their lives back on track by doing their own shopping etc but many find all the new rules and risks a bit daunting, so the current theme for our care services at Seniors Helping Seniors is accompanying people to do their shopping.
During the lockdown, we did all the shopping, sanitised it and stocked our clients’ fridges.
There is also an emphasis on all the jobs people haven’t been up to doing for themselves during the lockdown. Cleaning floors and changing beds are enormous tasks for the frail and we are delighted to help provide more hygienic living conditions for people.
Life is getting back to normal slowly. Seniors Helping Seniors in all offices is busy but we have maintained capacity and we can easily match demand in our communities.
We have continued to hire new carers, even during the lockdown.
We are thrilled how well our carers supported people during the lockdown. They visited clients for essential care services but they also helped by raising confidence and keeping people on track. The online seated yoga classes were brilliant. The photo speaks volumes about community during the lockdown and how hard this generation works at keeping themselves well.
Seniors Helping Seniors has been Caring for over 21 years and the way we do things has always been different. Here we share a few of the amazing things we’ve been up to with clients during the lockdown.
Elderly people isolating was an awful shock for many. Daycare facilities closed quickly and traditional care companies struggled when carers couldn’t work. Everything people took for granted stopped. People had to fend for themselves.
Hopefully, the government will never be able to overlook Care again and hopefully, people will know that arranging a bit of support for themselves, rather than struggling on, helps keep them fit and well.
The issues of ageing are not going away. The number of people aged 85 or over is set to double over the next 25 years in the UK
“Our carers are experienced. That’s what we mean by Senior. It usually means our Carers live alone or in small units so it has been possible for us to keep the risks of COVID-19 low” says Christian Wilse co-owner of the service. “Our carers have wanted to keep working, to keep helping others because they love what they do. So far, we have been lucky. Everyone has stayed well.”
Carers feel safe to work because the team is so small and the clients will not have seen anyone since their last visit. Visits are never rushed and carers can take the time to do whatever matters most for people.
“Helping people with technology has been increasingly important and there have been plenty of brilliant digital moments. Family facetime and zoom seated yoga classes are just a few examples of what we get up to in addition to the essential services like shopping and meal preparation with clients, prompting medication, cleaning and laundry.”
Christian explains, “Keeping people active and nourished has been vital. Some people just don’t understand a bag of shopping left on their doorstep. They need help sorting and organising. With social distancing set to continue, loneliness needs to be a top priority.
Thanks to the amazing people with care experience, providing the same trusted carer means companionship comes along with all the essential services.
No one has lived through anything like a pandemic before, but it helps to have someone you can relate to support you with what matters most to you.
We are proud to be a specialist employer offering local work people love to do with pay above the real Living Wage”
