Background
After a stay in hospital, Doris returned home requiring 24/7 care. This care was provided by a team of Carers from a home care company.
Her daughter worked full-time and needed some help to organise everything that her mum and the Carers needed. After spending some time with Doris and her Carers, I introduced some changes that allowed her daughter peace of mind so that she could take a step back and gave Doris a bit more independence.
The problem: Lack of Independence
Doris was unable to get out of bed and had to ask her Carers to do everything for her. She was frustrated at her lack of independence.
The solution
I brought along some smart home devices for her to try out. These were an Alexa Echo Dot and a smart plug which I used with one of her table lamps. I sourced the equipment, set up the account, got all the equipment working, and showed Doris how to use it.
The outcome
The smart technology was a really positive change for her, as she now had the ability to do something for herself without assistance. She particularly enjoyed using Alexa to turn the light on and off, ask the time, play her favourite music, and adjust the volume.
She also really enjoyed demonstrating all of this to any visitors. All of this helped to improve her self-esteem and mood.
The problem: Getting the Sunday Papers
As her recovery progressed, she enjoyed being able to read things like the Sunday newspapers. She relied on a particular Carer to bring one for her but if she wasn’t working on a Sunday, Doris didn’t get the paper.
The solution
I organised for the local paper shop to start delivering Doris’s favourite paper every Sunday morning. To avoid any hassle with paying the bill, I also asked them to calculate a monthly standing order amount which included the delivery charge.
I forwarded all the information to her daughter and then once she had set the standing order up, she could just forget about it. She didn't need to remember to pop into the paper shop to pay the bills
The outcome
Doris was able to enjoy reading her favourite newspaper every Sunday without relying on anyone remembering to bring it. Her daughter didn’t need to worry about forgetting to pay the bills, and Doris didn't get flustered by receiving a bill for the papers.
The problem: Grocery Shopping
Doris's daughter did all the shopping for her mum and planned all the meals, even though they were prepared by the Carers.
She often got messages from the home care company letting her know that things had run out and then she would have to dash around with more supplies. Or if she asked one of the Carers to pop out for some shopping she would then have to remember to organise paying them back.
The solution
I introduced a pre-printed weekly shopping list for the Carers to tick off when things were running low.
I set up internet shopping using Doris's smartphone and organised a weekly grocery delivery from a local supermarket. I wrote up a set of instructions for the Carers to refer to and showed them how to order the shopping. The Carers could then do the shopping online, and they could also involve Doris in the process of choosing what she wanted.
Carers who had favourite recipes they liked to cook for Doris, or who were planning to do some baking with her, would plan ahead and make sure that what they needed was on the list to be ordered.
The shopping was billed automatically to Doris's credit card. Her daughter could keep an eye on what was being ordered by logging in to the account or looking through the confirmation emails. Or she could choose to stay totally out of the process.
The outcome
Doris was involved in shopping and deciding what she was going to eat and there was a clear system in place to make sure she had everything she needed without her daughter having to do a last-minute shop.
The problem: Managing Disposable Supplies
The Carers needed to use a number of disposable hygiene products as part of Doris's care routine which the home care company did not supply. They were asking her daughter to source and supply them, and sometimes there was not much notice given when they ran out.
The solution
I calculated what would be needed and organised a regularly scheduled delivery from an online supplier.
I set up a system in the spare room which was being used to store the supplies. I organised it so it was quickly apparent to the Carers if they were running out, and they could easily check when the next delivery was due. They would then contact me instead of her daughter if the order needed adjusting.
The outcome
There were always sufficient supplies and when something needed to be ordered, Doris’s daughter wasn’t having to rush to get anything.
. . .
This is an example of the practical, tailored support I provide for families. A common issue is finding ways of giving elderly adults some independence back when they’re no longer able to do things themselves. Setting up a smart speaker gave Doris some independence to do things like putting on lights or music.
Often little things like that can make a huge difference to the well-being of an elderly adult who isn’t able to look after themselves any longer.
I find practical solutions so that older adults can live well at home, and their families have peace of mind that they're ok. I like to work out what really matters to people, remove barriers, and help people to live the lives they want.
Get in touch to arrange a free chat to find out how I can help. If you’d like to find out the practical ways I’ve helped other clients, head over to the blog page to read other case studies.
[client names have been changed to protect anonymity]
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