Homecare lessons from lockdown: the singing carer

Homecare lessons from lockdown: the singing carer

Lockdown hasn’t been easy, for anyone. Normal life has been turned on its head, the healthcare system has been shaken, and the world has felt like a strange place. But there’s still moments of joy.

Coroanvirus. There’s not a lot to say that hasn’t already been covered. It’s a terrible virus, and something that has shaken us all. Needless to say, our hearts go out to anyone who’s been affected.

With normal life on hold for many, we’ve been doing our best to minimise any impact on our clients. We know our carers often feel like a family member, so have been working tireless to make sure we can keep up our visits in a safe and sustainable way.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of our lockdown homecare stories to try and bring back a sense of joy and community. Moments of real honesty from our carers – some funny, some messy, all genuine. First up, we hear from one of our more outgoing members.

The singing carer

It was late in the afternoon when Hannah reached Tom, her last client of the day. The streets were surprisingly empty, the air a little still, and the door was answered quickly.

Tom was a lovely elderly gentleman, calm and friendly, but suffering from bad dementia. He had good days and bad days. Today was a bad day.

He lives with his wife, Gill. She’s more able than Tom, but couldn’t cope with all of his needs herself. We provide daily stop-ins to help.

It was time for Tom’s shower. That meant heading upstairs. Tom’s got a stair lift, which makes things easier, but he sometimes struggles to use it. Today, he got to the seat but had forgotten how to sit down!

Hannah gave him some gentle prompting. Encouraging him to do it himself helps maintain a little independence. But with much patience and a little back and forth, he’s still not quite there – standing in front of the seat. As he becomes confused and frustrated, Hannah decides to try a different tact.

“Backwards…. you have to go backwarrrrdddddsss!”, she sings in a high pitch voice, flamboyantly raising her arms.

Tom’s confused face cracks into a big smile, and then hysterics. Gill comes through from the kitchen joining in the laughter, only to see Tom sat on the chair lift. It worked.

There’s always room for humour

Sometimes an unconventional approach can work. But whichever approach you take, there’s always room for a little fun. It’s very easy to focus on the physical needs in a support relationship. But the emotional needs are just as important. Sometimes all it takes is a smile to change someone’s day.

The names in this story have been changed to protect people’s identities. But we all know a Tom. Someone who needs support and care, even during these susceptible times.

Luckily, homecare is a means of supporting loved ones with minimal risk. Our carers only visit a limited number of clients, always with appropriate sanitisation and protection. This greatly reduces the risk you might find in a residential home. So, if you know someone who needs care during this time, please get in touch.

For more information on our home care services, contact a member of our friendly team today.