Independent living with Heritage Healthcare
About Les and Cath
Les and Cath are both aged 92. Married for 70 years, they live in the end-of-terrace home they have shared for 60 years, in Trafford. They are supported by Heritage Healthcare.
They know all the carers from Heritage Healthcare (opens new window) who call on them, and enjoy their company as well as the practical support.
As a result of good personalised support, Les and Cath are able to stay together in their own home and Les is able to continue to play a key role in caring for his wife.
Les and Cath say that if there is a problem – such as a personality clash with a carer – they know that Heritage Healthcare will find someone else as a replacement.
Les feels that Cath benefits from having a woman to help her with getting washed and dressed rather than him doing this. He feels that he also benefits from having support, but is still doing as much as he can around the house and for himself.
They both receive a direct payment from the council for care and support. Cath has dementia, and both she and Les have physical disabilities.
Eighteen months ago, they paid to have a downstairs toilet put in with grab rails, to make it easier for Cath during the day. Cath uses a walking frame in the house, and a wheelchair when out, and Les uses a walking frame outdoors. For the last 18 months, they have received support from Heritage Healthcare four times a day (for a total of 4 ½ hours each day). Two carers support Les and Cath twice a week to go out somewhere (in the carers’ cars, for which mileage is charged out of Cath and Les’s Direct Payment).
Les and Cath’s story
“The times they [the carers] come suit us. The other day we went to where I used to work, because I wanted to see it. Then we went for a cup of coffee after.
Heritage are the best because you can talk to them. They’re willing to accept whatever bit of help I can still give. Some companies say ‘it’s my job, leave it alone’ but Heritage have none of that, they get given the time. Some [other companies] are in and out in no time – it’s ridiculous.
It’s not an easy job, being a carer - not everyone can do this. You build up the relationship with them naturally. We’ve got lots in common with this one carer. She’s got an allotment now, and I used to have one, so she asks me what she should do on the allotment. We had one girl, it was a personality clash with Cath, so we had to change. They’ll help with anything, but I make sure they don’t go over their time, because if they spend over with me, they’ll be late for the next person.
All that these carers do, I used to do, but I found it too much. One thing that got me worried was this shower business and taking my clothes off, but now I’ve got used to it. It’s a great help to me, and a good help to Cath - she knows she’s being looked after.
This is like a social life now, people coming in every day; Tuesdays we keep as a shopping day out, and Thursdays we’ll go out somewhere.
We want to stay living here [in our own house] because you’re used to it, everything is where you know where it is. Can you imagine what would happen to all this stuff, if we had to move? At our ages, it’d be too much.”
About Heritage Healthcare
- Heritage Healthcare Trafford started in 2015. They are a private (franchised) company, with 22 care staff and 45 clients.
Website: https://heritagehealthcare.co.uk/
What Heritage Healthcare say:
- “Continuity of carer is really important – it means familiarisation with the person’s routine, and getting to know the person really well.”
- “We need to take the stress of caring away, so we’re actually supporting the whole family.”
- “It’s not just the big things, it’s the little touches - like the husband who likes the stripy cup and the wife who has the spotty cup. You need to be able to hang onto the things that matter to you - like having your legs shaved or your eyebrows shaped - so you still feel you are yourself.”