Homecare assistant carves special birthday gift for client

A homecare assistant helped make birthday celebrations even brighter for one of her elderly gentleman clients with an extra special gift.
Vicki Lowe, who works for Westmorland Homecare’s Poulton, Fylde and Wyre branch, created a lamp in her spare time after carving a tree stump found on the beach near her home at Preesall, near Knott End.
She then presented the lamp to her client to mark his birthday.
“He was really happy with the lamp and grateful for the time and effort I put into it,” said Vicki, 44, who has worked for Westmorland Homecare for around seven months.
“He said the best part was that someone had taken time out of their lives to do something for him to celebrate his birthday and my reward was the smile on his face.
“The lamp has now got pride of place in his living room.”
Vicki visits her client several times a week and through chatting to him learned that he has an interest in woodwork and carving.
“It got me thinking about what I could do for his birthday so I decided to have a go at carving and see what happened.
“I am quite a handywoman and I am always doing bits and bobs. I made a bench for the back of my house and did the decking and surrounding for that but I had not tried carving an object before.”
She said the 17-inches-tall tree stump had been found on the beach by one of her children.
“I thought I’d start taking bits off and see if I got some inspiration,” said Vicki. “I began chipping away with a chisel and drills and sanding it down and got the idea that it could be turned into a lamp, so I added a bulb.
“I will probably have a go at something else now – I have seen some wooden owls I like and I’d like to try carving something like that.”
Vicki added it was good to work for Westmorland Homecare, which put people’s personalities and caring nature high on its priority list when recruiting new staff.
Theresa Miller, the branch’s Training & Recruitment Coordinator, added: “Westmorland Homecare’s core values include being kind and helping people to live enriching lives and Vicki going the extra mile in her own time to carve this lovely gift for her client is a good example of that.”
Westmorland Homecare provides care to enable vulnerable and often frail people over the age of 18 to live independently in their own home. Its services include homecare, such as help with housekeeping and meal preparation, and personal care, which includes support with medication, dressing, bathing and living life to the full.