Admiral nurse gets her portrait done by artist painting pandemic heroes

Artist Nigel Proud has painted a portrait of an Admiral Nurse to add to his collection of pandemic heroes, whom he felt were not being recognised for their “selfless contributions”.

His collection of paintings includes GPs, postal workers and hairdressers and now one of Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurses, Rachel Korosi.

The idea came from a project he did initially painting free portraits for NHS heroes.

“Out of all of this came my idea for the ‘Heroes of Shepley’ Collection – free portraits for people who have kept my village going through the pandemic. It is very much a celebration of their achievements in these extreme circumstances,” says Mr Proud, who lives in Shepley village, Kirklees.

Rachel Korosi was nominated by Dementia UK for the portrait but coincidentally turned out to be supporting Mr Proud’s mother-in-law who has vascular dementia and sometimes has hallucinations and delusions.

Ms Korosi has given Mr Proud and his wife advice on how to distract her when angry or anxious, constantly keeping in touch with them during lockdown to listen and address their concerns, and even ringing up the council to quicken their access to support. Mr Proud says that without her, the family would have been more stressed, anxious and completely worn out.

He added: “Admiral Nurses do an amazing job and all family carers affected by dementia should have access to one; they completely understand dementia and its effects on the person diagnosed and the wider family. Quite simply: they are a lifeline.”

Rachel Korosi has played a pivotal role in providing support to families with dementia at a time of reduced support services. Without stimulation from community activities like coffee mornings and singing sessions, the symptoms of people with dementia have become more pronounced. The absence of respite has also meant that unpaid carers are undergoing more emotional distress.

Commenting on the importance of her role in supporting families with dementia, Ms Korosi said: “I consider myself very lucky to be an Admiral Nurse. Together we work to help families understand what dementia is, what changes in symptoms and behaviour mean, and how to cope with some of the most difficult aspects of caring. Dementia is so unpredictable so I am there to support families through these transitions and together we can plan ahead for what the family might need in the future.

"Being part of our local community has never been more important in these times of Covid-19 and the restrictions it has brought. Understanding what strengths our community has that can make life just a little easier for families has been a critical part of my role. We are working with imagination and enthusiasm to find ways of safely supporting families. Admiral Nurses have never been busier.”

Nigel hopes to have an exhibition of his ‘Heroes of Shepley’ collection whenever safe to do so and so people can see how communities have come together at such an extraordinary and challenging time.