Home care staff go above and beyond to help lonely older people at Christmas

Christmas is a time of family fun and celebrations, but new Age UK research has found that 3.5 million people aged 65 and over in the UK are not getting any help, support or companionship from neighbours.

Joyce Francis, policy officer at said: “For some, Christmas can be a particularly lonely time with the perils of winter weather increasing the possibility of isolation.

“Home care is a year round service and throughout the Christmas and New Year period home care workers and their managers go the extra mile to make sure that people who need support get it.

“Care workers often forego celebrations with their families and friends and have to battle against the weather in 4 by 4s or even using sledges to transport supplies!

“More than ever, visits from home care workers can make a huge difference to people’s comfort and safety, providing much needed reassurance for those who need it.”

Lucas Love Healthcare, Northern Ireland’s fastest growing, registered nursing and domiciliary care agency understands how vulnerable older people living in rural areas can be.

Sinead Polland, director and nurse manager said: “All our home care workers work extremely hard for clients all year round. At Christmas in particular our staff will go the extra mile to ensure they spend more time with all clients, giving them much needed human contact and of course ensuring they receive impeccable care.”

Ms Polland recalls one particular boxing day night when a Lucas Love care assistant was due to visit a small farm where an eighty year old client lived with his son, but treacherous snow on the way up the long lane to the house endangered her route.

Ms Polland said: “In an attempt to get her car up the lane it skidded and went into a ditch. She called me immediately and I drove out to the house to assist her and our client.

“I contacted the man’s son and told him the problem we faced and that we were making every effort to reach his father. The son understood the importance of our visit with his father and offered to drive down the lane in his tractor to give us a lift up to the house.

“When we had spent time with his father and had him safely tucked up in bed, we explained to his son we had two other clients who did not have any family that we need to reach and he kindly offered to drive us to two rural properties where we could assist and put other vulnerable members of his community to bed.”

Ms Polland continued: “On this occasion the dedication of our carer was apparent. She would not have gone home that evening until all our clients received the full care to which they are entitled and was even willing to put her own life in danger for the lives of others. We are thankful that she had excellent training and knew to contact me for assistance.

“At Lucas Love Healthcare we do not accept fifteen minute calls to this vulnerable group. I firmly believe that such short calls do not offer a quality service. I feel that they are not meeting the needs of the vulnerable person and can compound the feelings of isolation they can experience.

“All Lucas Love carers spend a minimum of 30 minutes on each homecare visit”.

Diane Hughes is a home care supervisor at Care South who knows first-hand the loneliness that many older people can feel over Christmas.

Describing a working day, she said: “The morning shift starts early and I am up and out of the house before 7am.

“My first call of the day is Jess. I get her out of bed and help her with her morning wash so that she is ready for the day ahead.

“With the festive period approaching, Jess is keen to buy her family some little treats for Christmas and asks if I can pop into town later in the week to pick them up.

“We have a chat about what her grandchildren and sister would like and she points out a few bits and pieces in a catalogue that she has carefully picked out.

“I promise her that I will pick them up later in the week so that she has them all in good time.

“Once I have helped Jess make her breakfast, I do a final check round to make sure everything is clean, tidy and safe.”

Ms Hughes gets to Roy’s house at about 10.45am. She explained: “He suffers from slight memory loss and his wife passed away six months ago, but with my help, he is able to maintain his independence.

“After a cheery hello, I have a catch up and make sure that he has not forgotten to take his medication.

“Roy had avoided being in his front room ever since his wife passed away. However, last week myself and the team got together to tidy the room and then decorated it ready for Christmas with a tree and decorations.

Ms Hughes heads off to her next appointment where Enid is celebrating her 100th Birthday with a party: “I arrive at Enid’s bungalow just before lunchtime and I start to cook some fresh breaded fish and chips to make a special birthday lunch.

“Her card from the Queen arrived this morning and we put it in pride of place on the mantel piece.

Ms Hughes’ last call of the day is to visit client Adam and she picks up his weekly shop on the way.

Adam lives on his own, in a one-bedroomed flat, but last year he had an accident which left him with a serious disability.

Ms Hughes helps him with his daily chores maintaining his independence and giving his family a well-earned break.

They reminisce about how this time last year there was horrendous snow, and that the roads were blocked, but that she still managed to get to him.

Ms Hughes said: “The home care team at Care South don’t give up easily and a little bit of snow wasn’t going to beat us! We pulled on our wellies and made our way on foot.

“Adam and I tidy up the flat. I wish him a merry Christmas and head back to the Care South head office to finish off some paper work. Then I’m off home for the day.

“Once home, I have a quick cup of tea and start making Christmas plans with my own family.

“I’ve worked in care for 18 years now, and the last two years have been in home care. Every day you feel like you are making a real difference to people’s lives, the job really is very rewarding.”

Carolyn Collins, Care South’s director of domiciliary care, said: “Our team of home care workers play a crucial part in the lives of many elderly people across the south of England.

“Not only do they provide help and support with a huge range of tasks, from personal and night care to general support, but they also crucially bring companionship.

“Christmas can be a sad and lonely time for the elderly, and it is great to know that our home visits make a real difference to those who would otherwise feel quite isolated.”

Carefound Home Care (Harrogate) is a specialist provider of home care and dementia care services in North Yorkshire. Its care staff are making an extra special effort to take Christmas to their clients this year by delivering Christmas cards and mince pies to them.

Director Oliver Stirk said: “Our home care team go to huge lengths in seeking to provide a genuinely personalised service of care to our clients.

“We are extremely proud of the work they do and it is great for them to be able to enjoy a part of Christmas with the people they support.

“Activities like this reflect how we are trying to change the way care is delivered in the community and will also contribute to fighting isolation and loneliness that so many elderly people experience at this time of year.”

Age UK is urging everyone to make a Big Winter Pledge to help keep lonely older neighbours warm this Christmas.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director general of Age UK, said: “The winter can cause misery, avoidable illness and even death for too many older people.

“We’re hoping to inspire everyone to act now to do their bit to lessen the impact of winter for older people this year.

“There is something simple that everyone can do from popping in to check on an older neighbour to making time for older relatives.

“As we experienced as a nation this summer, it feels good to come together and help each other out. Small things and a friendly face make all the difference.”

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren said: “It’s shocking that so many older people die needlessly in the winter months. I’m supporting Age UK’s Big Winter Pledge by spreading the word about the importance of keeping warm this winter – whether that’s layering up when we go out or keeping our living rooms at 21 degrees and bedrooms at 18 degrees.

“I’d urge everyone to get stuck in this winter and help out older friends, neighbours and relatives with Age UK.”