Homecare staff go extra mile to help elderly clients during coronavirus pandemic

Staff at Westmorland Homecare have been going the extra mile to look after clients and bring a smile to their faces during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Kendal-based company provides hundreds of hours of care each week, which enable elderly and often frail people to live independently in their own home.

Its services include home care, such as help with housekeeping and meal preparation, and personal care, such as help with dressing, bathing and getting in and out of bed.

The company’s 105 staff in the South Lakes area include 90 health care assistants. All are committed to helping its 200 clients.

Sarah Thompson described how she recently put in an extra call to a client because she was frightened and tearful when she left her at 5.30pm. “So, despite the fact that I was due back at 9pm, I popped in with some sweets for her in my own time at 8pm.”

Claire Stevens said: “It’s a scary time at the moment for us and our clients and we have been doing extra calls to some clients to do shopping and calls to make sure they are having evening meals, because friends and family can’t go into their homes.

“On some of my calls if I have the time I will do extra jobs because some of my clients had cleaners coming in who can no longer do so. It could be changing the bed, hoovering and making sure their home is clean.”

Health care assistant Jayne showed a client how to use WhatsApp so she could see and talk to her family here and daughter, who lives abroad.

Ann Holmes baked a birthday cake for a client on her day off because he could not get to the shops to buy one

And Isabelle Bromley made Easter cakes and treats with her son and delivered them to clients across the community during care calls.

Westmorland Homecare delivered 150 Easter eggs, donated by supermarket Booths, to clients as a surprise gift.

It is asking people to write postcards or do a painting with a positive message that can be given to a client. These can be posted to 18 Highgate, Kendal, LA9 4SX.

Joint director Dr Josh Macauley said the company was also asking people to donate any spare plant pots, which could be planted with a sunflower and given to each member of staff and each client.

People can ring 01539 725107 to ask for a member of the WHC staff to pick up the plant pots from their doorstep or they could be left on the company’s doorstep at 18 Highgate.

“It’s a way to engage with the community and to bring a bit of joy and brightness into their lives,” said Dr Macauley. “These small things can really lift people.”